Help Centre
Have any questions?
Check the most commonly asked questions
The Dalry Parish Boundary Trust Energy Fund is a partnership between Community Windpower and Dalry Parish Boundary Trust, administered by Advice Direct Scotland, offering support of £300,000 to eligible households within the KA24 postcode who are experiencing significant financial hardship, through the provision of support with energy costs.
As such, the intended recipients of the fund are individuals and households struggling to pay for energy.
This fund is intended to support electric bills. This fund is not suitable for gas accounts, oil, LPG, coal, logs, or other alternative fuels.
The team at energyadvice.scot can offer advice and information on additional sources of support for these types of fuels. You can contact them on 0808 196 8660 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).
The fund is intended to support a range of individuals and households, with the following
beneficiaries identified –
Children living in poverty
Evidence Required – Receipt of Scottish Child Payment (e.g., a letter confirming payment,
evidence of receipt through bank statement).
Pensioner households where one of the council tax payers is a pensioner
Evidence Required – This can only be evidenced by both proof of age (e.g., copy of passport,
drivers license etc) and a copy of the council tax bill.
To qualify, the pensioner must be the primary householders – a pensioner living with children
for example, would not qualify.
People living with cancer
Evidence Required – A DS1500 form; a note from a consultant, doctor, clinic, nurse or support
from a charitable organisation (e.g., MacMillan, Marie Curie).
An occupant in receipt of a disability benefit (Adult Disability Payment, Personal
Independence Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment,
Disability Living Allowance).
Evidence Required – Evidence of receipt of one of the above benefits (letter, bank statement
showing payment), DS1500 form.
An occupant in receipt of a disability benefit who has medical equipment that uses a large
amount of energy
This criteria would apply when the individual has complex medical needs with multiple devices
(for example – hoists, feeding aids, electric wheelchairs, dialysis machines, oxygen
concentrators). There are circumstances where this would not apply, for example sleep apnoea machines.
Evidence Required – Receipt of a disability benefit, and what medical equipment is required.
Step 1 – Gather Your Evidence
You will need the following information to make an application. You may be asked for documented evidence which must be uploaded to the application. We would recommend having a copy of the document, a photo or a screenshot on your device before beginning.
Before starting, make sure you have to hand:
• Your mobile number
• Your email address
• Your postcode
• The type of energy meter you have
• Your energy bill (making sure that it includes your account number and supplier name)
• Whether you or your partner are aged 66 or over and named on the Council Tax statement
• Whether anybody normally resident in your property living with cancer
• Whether anybody in the property receives a disability payments, or received a completed DS1500 form.
• Whether any one on disability benefits uses equipment that uses a large amount of energy
• Whether you receive the Scottish Child Benefit
Step 2 – Name, Address and Details
A – Enter your name, mobile number, email address and postcode.
B – Once the postcode has been stated, select your address from the dropdown menu. This will put your details in the Street, City and Postcode boxes.
Step 3 – Electric
A – Select what type of meter you have.
– If you pay a monthly bill (for example by direct debit), you are on a credit meter.
– If you pay to top up your meter and must keep money on the meter to maintain your supply, you are on a prepayment meter.
– State your Energy Supplier and your Energy Account Number. If you are unsure about what either of these are, you can find them on your latest energy bill.
B – If you are on a prepayment meter, you are required to also state whether you are on a smart meter (SMART PAYG) or a traditional meter (Traditional PAYG). A smart meter is an additional device that calculates energy usage in real time.
C – Upload a copy of your electricity bill or take a screenshot/photograph with the Account Number.
If you are unsure what part to look for, please check the information on different bill layouts for different suppliers on energyadvice.scot.
If you are on a pre-payment meter, provide a document with proof of your address on it. If this is a paper document, please send a screenshot or photograph.
There are two ways to upload the files.
The first is to click on Upload Files and select the file that you want to use (see below).
On an iPhone or Android device, you can select a photo from your photo album (photo library), you can take a photo or you can use a file (this can be a file stored on your device or using a cloud storage platform like Microsoft office).
Remember that you can see the files you have uploaded next to the upload files button.
Step 4 – Your Situation
Please answer the following Yes or No questions. If any of the situations outlined in the questions apply to you (meaning you select YES or select a benefit), you must upload supporting evidence using the same method as the electric bill.
If anyone in your property receives one of the stated disability payments or received a completed DS1500 form, you must also state whether the benefit claimant requires medical equipment that uses a large amount of energy.
Step 5 – Narrative
You’re nearly finished the application. This is the part where you should submit your narrative.
The narrative should tell us how you have struggled to afford your energy costs. This includes any other essential costs that you have had to reduce or stop paying as a result of your situation.
Any evidence that would be helpful for us in understanding your situation should be included as well.
Before you finish, tick the two boxes at the bottom of the application. These confirm that you agree for us to hold and use the information you have provided.
Step 1 – Gather Your Evidence
You will need the following information to make an application. You may be asked for documented evidence which must be uploaded to the application. We would recommend having a copy of the document, a photo or a screenshot on your device before beginning:
Before starting, make sure you have to hand:
• Your mobile number
• Your email address
• Your postcode
• The type of energy meter you have
• Your energy bill (making sure that it includes your account number and supplier name)
• Whether you or your partner are aged 66 or over and named on the Council Tax statement
• Whether anybody normally resident in your property living with cancer
• Whether anybody in the property receives a disability payments, or received a completed DS1500 form.
• Whether any one on disability benefits uses equipment that uses a large amount of energy
• Whether you receive the Scottish Child Benefit
Step 2 – Name, Address and Details
A – Enter your name, mobile number, email address and postcode.
B – Once the postcode has been entered, select your address from the dropdown menu. This will automatically enter your details in the Street, City and Postcode boxes.
Step 3 – Electric
A – Select what type of meter you have.
– If you pay a monthly bill (for example by direct debit), you are on a credit meter.
– If you pay to top up your meter and must keep money on the meter to maintain your supply, you are on a prepayment meter.
– State your Energy Supplier and your Energy Account Number. If you are unsure about what either of these are, you can find them on your latest energy bill.
B – If you are on a prepayment meter, you are required to also state whether you are on a smart meter (SMART PAYG) or a traditional meter (Traditional PAYG). A smart meter is an additional device that calculates energy usage in real time.
C – Upload a copy of your electricity bill or take a screenshot/photograph with the Account Number.
If you are unsure what part to look for, please check the information on different bill layouts for different suppliers on energyadvice.scot.
If you are on a pre-payment meter, provide a document with proof of your address on it. If this is a paper document, please send a screenshot or photograph.
There are two ways to upload the files.
The first is to click on Upload Files and select the file that you want to use (see below).
The second is to click and hold the file and then move it over the “Or drop files” box (see below).
No matter which method you use, the application will show you the file that you have uploaded (see below).
Step 4 – Your Situation
Please answer the following Yes or No questions. If any of the situations outlined in the questions apply to you (meaning you select YES or select a benefit), you must upload supporting evidence using the same method as the electric bill.
If anyone in your property receives one of the stated disability payments or received a completed DS1500 form, you must also state whether the benefit claimant requires medical equipment that uses a large amount of energy.
In the case of the question related to age (below), please ensure that proof of age and evidence of the council tax bill (for you or your partner) is uploaded.
Step 5 – Narrative
You’re nearly finished the application. This is the part where you should submit your narrative.
The narrative should tell us how you have struggled to afford your energy costs. This includes any other essential costs that you have had to reduce or stop paying as a result of your situation.
Any evidence that would be helpful for us in understanding your situation should be included as well.
Before you finish, tick the two boxes at the bottom of the application. These confirm that you agree for us to hold and use the information you have provided.
Payment amounts will be dependent on individual circumstances, with higher levels for support for those demonstrating eligibility across multiple criteria.
Please note – The fund is not for paying historical, unaffordable debt.
Payment will be made to electric bills. Payment for a household with a credit meter will be paid directly to suppliers via BACS. This includes households with smart prepayment meters.
For traditional prepayment customers, vouchers will be supplied that can be redeemed through the PayPoint or Post Office, depending on your supplier.
Support is available with applications at Dalry Public Library. The address is: – Tel: 01294 833196
The team at communityadvice.scot are available on 0808 169 9902 and can run through the application with you.
You can assist eligible applicants with their own applications to the Dalry Parish Boundary Trust Energy Fund.
Cut-off date for new apps: Friday 22nd December 2023
Evidence receipt end date: Wednesday 27th December 2023
Final payment run: Thursday 28th December 2023