What gas capping is, cost, health risks, reinstating your gas supply, other support and advice.
If your gas supply is capped, it means you will not:
- have gas supply to your home, so you will not have gas heating or hot water
- be able to use gas appliances, such as a gas cooker
A gas supply is usually capped for safety reasons and usually when we haven't been able to access your home to carry out essential checks.
Cost of having your gas capped
Having your gas capped might seem like a good way to save money, but it can cost more than you think.
If your gas supply is capped, you'll still pay a daily standing charge. This is around 32p a day, or £9.60 a month.
The charge applies to all meters; standard, smart, or prepayment.
If you have a prepayment meter and you run out of credit, charges will still add up as debt.
Health risks
If you have your gas capped, you will not have access to gas heating or hot water. This could lead to problems, especially in colder months.
A cold home increases the risk of:
- condensation build up, which can cause damp and mould in your home
- damage to health, especially among residents who are older, under five years old, are pregnant, or who have a long-term health condition including a suppressed immune system or mobility-related needs
- mental health problems, and poor sleep
Credit on your meter
You need to have credit on your meter before we can carry out your gas safety check. We need to run the gas system to make sure everything is in working order.
If you do not have enough credit on your meter for us to complete the safety check, we can help you find services that can help you.
If your gas supply is capped
We want you to stay safe and comfortable in your home.
If your gas supply has been capped, we'll contact you to try and arrange a visit, so we can carry out our checks and get your gas working again.
We can work with someone you trust, such as your housing officer, support worker, friend or family member, if you need extra support.
Reinstate your gas supply
If your gas is capped and you're ready to get it working again, call us on 0117 922 2200.
We'll arrange for one of our engineers to come to your home. They will check your gas system is safe, fix anything that's wrong with it, and reinstate the supply.
Get support or advice
If you're struggling to afford energy payments, contact:
- your Housing Officer.
- a Senior Income Officer on 0117 903 8878
For advice on heating bills, contact the Tenant Energy Advice Service (TEA) from the Centre for Sustainable Energy:
- Freephone: 0800 082 2234
- Email: home.energy@cse.org.uk
For advice about benefits, pensions, or how to increase your income, contact the Welfare Rights and Money Advice Service.
If you cannot self-refer, ask your Housing Officer for help.
General enquiries
- Report a repair
- Phone: 0117 922 2200 (option 1)
- Textphone: 0117 922 3892
- Out of hours emergencies: 0117 922 2050