Local Welfare Assistance Schemes

Emergency energy and cost-of-living help delivered by councils

Local Welfare Assistance Schemes are council-run emergency support for residents facing immediate financial hardship. Help can vary by council, but it often covers urgent costs such as heating, fuel and other essentials.

Discretionary Support

Heating, Fuel and Essentials

COUNCIL-DELIVERED

Varies By Council

What Support May Include

Fuel Vouchers

Emergency Energy Credit

Heating and Warmth

Essential Utility Help

How Councils May Provide Help

Some councils provide fuel vouchers to households that cannot afford to top up gas or electricity prepayment meters.

These vouchers:

  • Add credit via PayPoint, Payzone or Post Office

  • Are usually issued in emergencies

  • May be delivered directly by the council or via local partners

Fuel vouchers are often funded through local welfare budgets, depending on council policy.

Where to look:

  • Search your council website for “fuel vouchers” or “crisis support”

  • Citizens Advice can help identify voucher routes locally

Fuel Vouchers

Some councils offer one-off emergency support where a household cannot afford an urgent energy cost. In England, local council support can include help with essential costs such as water and energy bills.

Some councils use crisis or hardship routes to respond quickly where someone is running out of credit or cannot manage a sudden energy shortfall.

This may include:

  • a one-off top-up or fuel voucher

  • short-term help with an urgent energy bill

  • local crisis support while wider help is arranged

Where to look:

  • Your local council’s crisis support or cost-of-living pages

Emergency Energy Credit

Many councils explicitly include energy and utility bills within their local welfare or hardship policies.

This can include help with:

  • Gas and electricity bills

  • Water bills (in some areas)

  • Other essential utilities where hardship affects health or safety

Support is assessed case-by-case and is not guaranteed.

Where to look:

Some councils may offer short-term help where a household cannot afford to keep warm or meet an urgent heating cost. The type of support is usually aimed at immediate hardship, especially during cold weather or where a loss of heating is creating a health or safety risk.

Where to look:

  • Councils may deliver this directly or through trusted local partners.

Heating and Warmth

Essential Utility Help

Who is This Support For

Local welfare support is generally aimed at households experiencing immediate financial difficulty including:

How To Apply

  • 01

    Find Your Local Council

    There is no national application portal for local welfare or crisis support.

    Find your council here

  • 02

    Search Your Council Website

    Look for terms such as: local welfare assistance, crisis support, emergency financial help, fuel voucher, cost of living support or hardship funds.

  • 03

    Contact Council Services if Needed

    If online information is limited: contact your council’s customer services, ask for the local welfare, hardship or benefit team. Some councils accept referrals from Citizens Advice.

Also Worth Knowing: Energy Supplier Emergency Support

Alongside council-run schemes, energy suppliers also have obligations to support customers facing finanical hardship under Ofgem rules.

This can include:

  • Emergency or “friendly” credit

  • Temporary protections to prevent disconnection

  • Supplier hardship support

    This support is separate from local council schemes and is explained in NUVOE’s energy billing guidance.