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After last winter, I’m really worried about falling behind on my energy bills again as we head into the colder months. We’re careful about what we use but with small kids it’s hard. What can I do if I’m struggling to keep up with payments?

It’s understandable to feel anxious about energy bills at this time of year. If you’re struggling to afford your bills, it’s important to act quickly; support is available and there are things you can do to ensure you’re not overpaying.

The first thing is to contact your energy supplier – they’re responsible for helping you come to a solution, like setting up an affordable repayment plan if you’ve fallen behind.

Energy bills can go up and down for many reasons, and if you think your bills don’t look right, you should check to see if they’re based on accurate readings. You might be getting estimated bills if your smart meter has stopped automatically sending readings, or if you have a non-smart meter and haven’t sent a reading for a while.

If you see the word “estimated” or the letter “E” next to the readings on your latest bill, that means it’s estimated. If this is the case, submit an up-to-date reading to get an accurate bill. A working smart meter does this for you, so if you have one and suspect it’s not automatically sending readings, or if you’d like to get one installed, then speak to your supplier.

To help make your home easier and cheaper to heat, you might be able to apply for support with the cost of energy efficiency upgrades like insulation, a new boiler or a heat pump. Schemes like the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme or Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) are run by energy suppliers and local councils.

You may also be able to find grants run by your local council to help you pay your energy bills. These are usually for emergency situations, like if you’ve lost your job and can’t afford to top up your meter. You’ll need to search for these on your local council’s website, which you can find on gov.uk.

If you’re behind on your bills, you might be able to get a grant to help you pay off your debt. You’ll need to get debt advice before applying and can do this through organisations like Citizens Advice. You can also check which grants are available on our website.

If you need extra non-financial help – for example, because you’re disabled or of state pension age – you can apply for support from your supplier through the Priority Services Register (PSR). Being on the register means your supplier can take readings for you if you struggle with this and there’s no one else who can do it for you, and ensures your bills are in a format you can understand. See the full list of eligibility criteria and how to sign up on the PSR website.

Remember, you don’t have to face this alone. If you’re struggling to afford your energy bills, visit the Citizens Advice website.

If you’d like more advice contact Citizens Advice consumer service online at CitizensAdvice.org.uk or call its consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.