Affordability
Our 2022 Energy Support Fund
We set up our Energy Support Fund in November 2022 to help support vulnerable households in the UK and US. We pledged £50 million in the UK and $17 million in the US, working with charity partners to help thousands of people with energy advice, emergency funding and energy efficiency measures.
The main tranche of our funding was for non-profit organisations on the front line of the energy crisis who were designated as our charity partners. The support fund helped with:
- providing emergency financial relief to households that use pre-payment energy meters
- funding energy efficiency measures to help lower bills over the longer term
- providing advisory services for households which need help with energy bills, debts and more
Several US partnerships were also created across our operational footprint in New England and New York. Between these organisations, support was provided to help customers manage increasing prices, rising energy costs and inflation – all of which combined threaten the budgets of many households. We supported customers across New York and Massachusetts with grants to address rising heating bills, food insecurity and support for small businesses that ultimately will benefit hundreds of thousands of customers and help to address the unprecedented economic challenges that the winter brings.
You can read about some of the people supported across the UK in these case studies:
Outcomes of our Energy Support Fund in the UK
We worked with key charity partners to help provide emergency financial relief, fund energy efficiency measures, provide advisory services for households, support energy bill assistance, and emergency food support programmes for low-to-moderate-income customers. This support fund benefited 259,884 households across our UK footprint.
Find out moreGrid for Good Energy Affordability Fund
The Grid for Good Energy Affordability Fund builds on National Grid’s long term commitment to supporting households struggling with energy costs.
The £13.8 million Fund runs over three years, with £3.5m per year supporting charities and organisations in the UK to provide immediate financial relief and longer‑term energy affordability support for vulnerable households. A further £3.3m supports similar organisations in the US.
Since launching, the Fund has developed into a mature, multi‑year programme, supporting tens of thousands of households through a combination of emergency fuel support, in‑depth advice, income maximisation and energy efficiency measures.
Our delivery partners
The Energy Affordability Fund is delivered through six strategic partners, each bringing complementary expertise to support vulnerable households:
- Citizens Advice – delivering national and local energy, debt and benefits advice to help households maximise income and reduce energy costs
- National Energy Action – working with communities to reach households most affected by fuel poverty, alongside training and capacity‑building for frontline organisations
- Centre for Sustainable Energy – providing in‑depth energy advice to improve efficiency and support participation in the low‑carbon transition
- Fuel Bank Foundation – offering emergency fuel crisis support for households at risk of self‑disconnection, alongside advice and referral into longer‑term help
- National Energy Foundation – delivering tailored, case‑managed support and home visits to address complex housing, health and energy challenges
- Affordable Warmth Solutions – providing insulation, heating and low‑carbon technologies for households excluded from mainstream schemes
Read more about our new Grid for Good Energy Affordability Fund.
Discount Rate Programme Delivers Affordable Energy at Scale in Massachusetts
A team from National Grid New England worked to create a new low- income discount programme for Massachusetts customers.
Find out more