EDF is giving away free fans and £20 energy credit to help with the heat

EDF is giving away free fans, blackout curtains and reusable water bottles to help customers cope with hot weather.

The packs form part of a £1 million scheme providing support worth up to £100 to as many as 10,000 eligible customers.

Customers who get a pack also receive a £20 credit towards their energy bill, to help cover the cost of running a fan.

Amber heat health alerts are currently in place across most of England until Friday evening, with temperatures possibly reaching 36°C on Thursday.

More than 10,000 people have died from heat-related causes in the UK since 2020, and older people, young children, disabled people and those with long-term health conditions are most at risk when temperatures climb.

What's in an EDF Heatwave Relief Pack?

The packs can include fans, blackout curtains and reusable water bottles, and are worth up to £100.

There's also a £20 credit added to your energy bill so that running a fan doesn't leave you worse off.

Blackout curtains matter more than people expect. Keeping sunlight out of rooms that face the sun is one of the main things the UK Health Security Agency recommends for keeping a home cool, and it costs nothing to run.

Who can get one?

The scheme is aimed at customers who'd be most at risk in hot weather.

EDF is identifying people through its own customer support teams, through referrals from partner organisations and community groups, and by contacting customers directly.

You can also contact EDF yourself to ask about additional support.

What if you're not an EDF customer?

You can't get a heatwave pack, but there's other help available whoever you're with.

The British Gas Energy Trust gives grants to anyone, whatever supplier they use, though you'll need to get debt advice first, which is something we can help with. Octopus has no fixed eligibility rules for its Octo Assist fund and looks at each case individually. E.ON Next, Scottish Power, OVO and Utilita run their own funds too.

And if you're behind on your energy bill, your supplier has to work with you on a payment plan you can afford. Find out more here: What to do about energy arrears

Should you be on the Priority Services Register?

If you or someone you live with relies on powered medical equipment, needs medicine kept refrigerated, or would struggle in a power cut, this is the one to sort out now. Heatwaves put extra strain on the grid, so power cuts become more likely.

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is free, every supplier has to offer it, and we made 37,967 referrals to it last year.

Struggling with your bills?

If money was already tight and the hot weather is making it worse, speak to us. We'll go through what's coming in, what's going out and which bills need paying first, and we'll check whether you're missing out on anything you're entitled to.