The Government says that billions of pounds is being spent on helping consumers struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills, with discounted tariffs and energy efficiency measures being offered to the most vulnerable households.

But critics say that most consumers have no idea what help is available or how to claim. Many lowincome households may be ineligible for help if they rent their home or do not receive state benefits. Times Money has also discovered that in some cases even the poorest households on benefits are being denied help.

Gas and electricity bills have increased by a record 42 per cent this year, taking a household's average annual bill to £1,300. About 5.4 million households are this winter facing fuel poverty - where one tenth, or more, of income goes on gas and electricity bills.

Amid mounting pressure from campaigners, energy suppliers have agreed to spend £225 million over the next three years on “social tariffs”, which offer the cheapest deal to the most vulnerable households. Currently only 540,000 customers are on these tariffs. Suppliers have also been told by the Government to spend £3.8 billion on making customers' homes more energy-efficient by installing loft and cavity wall insulation.

Russell Guthrie, of Consumer Focus, the energy watchdog, says: “Billions of pounds have been put aside to help people to pay their fuel bills, yet most consumers have no idea how to claim their share of this. Those who live in rented accommodation have to claim through their landlord for energy-efficiency measures, which complicates things further.”

Times Money followed two households in fuel poverty as they attempted to claim help from their energy supplier and the Government.

The pensioners

The Tahirs live in sheltered accommodation in South Woodford, Essex. Mrs Tahir, 60, is a full-time carer for her disabled husband, who is 65. They pay £50 a month for their electricity, which is provided by EDF Energy. Their gas bill is included in the service charge for their accommodation, which is £60 a month. This also covers the cost of a warden and other building expenses.

Most sheltered accommodation includes an arrangement with a gas supplier to provide heating to all of the apartments or houses on site. This means that residents cannot easily switch gas supplier or ask for a social tariff discount in the same way as ordinary homeowners. It also makes them ineligible to claim for any help under Warm Front.

Mrs Tahir says: “My husband claims pension credit, which tops up our joint pension income to £189 a week, and disability living allowance. I claim carer's allowance of £50 a week. It is increasingly difficult to keep up with the costs of bills. We are only in a two-bedroom flat but the cost of electricity alone seems very high at £50 a month. We have to drive to the hospital a lot and can easily spend £200 a month on petrol as well.”

Times Money advised Mrs Tahir to call EDF Energy and ask if she was eligible for an electricity social tariff. To her delight, she was told over the phone that she would receive a discount of 15 per cent on her next bill.

“I think the fact that my husband receives pension credit made us eligible,” she says. “It just goes to show - if you don't ask, you don't get.”

The low-income family

Delia Connelly is a single parent from Hendon, North London, living with her four children and granddaughter in rented accommodation. Her gas and electricity bills, provided by Southern Electric, amount to £50 a week. She is also paying EDF Energy £20 a week in debt repayments for £400 of arrears on her energy bills at a previous property.

Ms Connelly stopped working in 2006 for health reasons. She now claims income support, as well as disability living allowance and carer's allowance for looking after Billy, her youngest son.

Billy, 9, above in foreground, has chronic lung disease and is unable to regulate his body temperature. During the winter months Ms Connelly needs to keep the heating on most of the time and to run hot baths for her son every morning. “Heating is a necessity for my son's health, but the costs are just astronomical,” she says.

Her current supplier, Southern Electric, has a social tariff, Energyplus Care, which provides customers in fuel poverty with a 20 per cent discount on their bills. As more than a tenth of Ms Connelly's income goes on fuel bills, she should qualify. However, when she rang to check she was told that she is not eligible. She says: “I called Southern Electric and they put me on hold for 15 minutes, then the line just went dead.

“I called again and managed to speak to someone, who sent me a form to fill in with details of my income, which arrived a few days later. I sent this off but didn't hear anything, so I called again.

“The third time, I was told that my eligibility could be assessed over the phone. After answering questions, the adviser somehow calculated that my income was £46,000, which is incorrect. My income is £13,440 a year and I receive £19,200 in housing benefit. I asked him how he had reached this figure and asked him to recalculate, but he refused. In the end, he said I did not qualify for the social tariff.”

Ms Connelly, who has no insulation in some parts of her home, also called Warm Front, the government-backed scheme, to see whether she could claim any help with heating and energy-efficiency measures. Once again, she did not qualify. If she owned her home she would be eligible for a grant of up to £2,700, but because she rents, she cannot claim anything. It is the landlord who must arrange such measures, she was told.

Times Money contacted Southern Electric, but it refused to explain how Ms Connelly's income had been calculated at £46,000, and maintained that she is not eligible for a social tariff.

Where to go for help

- The Energy Saving Trust (EST) gives information on funding and grants, as well as on how to make your home more energy efficient. Call 0800 512012, or visit www.energysavingtrust. org.uk.

- The Government has pledged an extra £74 million to fund its Warm Front scheme, which offers grants of up to £2,700 to fund heating and insulation measures for households claiming certain benefits. This could include a new boiler, insulation, double glazing or new radiators. To claim call 0800 3162805, or visit www.warmfront.co.uk.

- Since October 1 all local authority and private landlords must provide tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate, which shows the energy efficiency of the home. If you rent and your home needs insulation or other measures, ask your landlord to call the EST to arrange this.

- Your landlord may be eligible for a substantial discount on the work and can also claim tax relief of up to £1,500 on energy-saving items as part of the Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance (LESA).

- Consumer Focus, the new energy watchdog, offers advice for those struggling to pay fuel bills, or who are being threatened with disconnection. Visit www.consumerfocus.org.uk.

- If your child is disabled, Contact a Family can offer support. Call free on 0808 8083555, or visit cafamily.org.uk. If you are a carer, contact Carers UK on 0808 8087777, or visit carersuk.org.

Find out if you are eligible for a social tariff

Here is a summary of the main suppliers' social tariffs. If you think you may qualify, call to check.

- British Gas. The Essentials tariff offers discounts for customers paying by pre-payment meter. You must be receiving an income-related benefit. Call 0845 8502207.

- EDF Energy. The Energy Assist tariff offers a 15 per cent discount and energy-efficiency measures. You must spend more than 10 per cent of your income on fuel bills or receive income support or pension credit. Call 0800 269450.

- npower. The Spreading Warmth tariff offers an annual discount of up to £250. Your annual income needs to be below £13,500 and you must be 60 or over, have a disability or suffer from chronic illness, or have children under 16. Call 0800 9751373.

- E.ON does not offer a social tariff, but will have one “by the end of the year”.

- Scottish Power. The Carefree Plus tariff offers an annual discount of £59.35 for electricity and £52.21 for gas, paid as a monthly rebate. You must be 60 or over and receive at least one benefit, but you will not qualify if you pay by monthly direct debit. Call 0845 2700700.

- Scottish and Southern Energy. Energyplus Care offers a 20 per cent discount. You must spend more than 10 per cent of your income on fuel bills. Call 0800 622838.