Do Students Get a Discount on Energy Bills?

Last updated: January 2026

Let’s be real – household bills have been wild over the past few years, leaving many students wondering what kind of support or assistance is available to them.

We’ve put together this quick guide to give you the facts on student energy discounts, why everything is so expensive right now, and what you can actually do about it:

Do students get a discount on energy bills and water bills? 

The short answer is no. Unfortunately, no grants or student discounts are specifically designed to help students with their household bills. Many of the extra funds and grants available to help people on low incomes require you to claim Universal Credit or some kind of benefit, making the majority of students ineligible.  

But it’s not all bad news. Remember, students are exempt from paying council tax, so at least this is one massive bill you can completely scratch off your list!

Get specialist advice

Although there aren’t many grant options available to students, you can speak to an adviser from Citizens Advice by calling 0808 223 1133. They can look at your specific situation and see if there are any niche local support schemes you might be able to tap into.

Get your energy bills reduced by changing your usage habits

Another option is the Demand Flexibility Service. Launched in 2022, this scheme incentivises households to reduce their energy usage during peak times. Other similar schemes are also available:

Get help from your university

It’s 100% worth checking if your university offers any specific grants for students struggling with their household bills or more general hardship funds to help with the cost of living crisis. For example, the University of Greenwich offers Energy Bill Financial Support, which offers a one-off payment of £200 to home students struggling with their utilities.

Why have household bills increased so much? 

Wholesale gas prices have increased significantly over the years, meaning suppliers must pay more for energy. These rising energy costs, combined with the coronavirus lockdowns, geopolitical conflicts, and colder winters, have led to a global energy crisis and higher energy prices for customers. Though energy prices are predicted to fall, water bills have also increased. Although many of these higher costs have been passed on to households, including shared student houses, the energy price cap controls how much energy suppliers can increase their prices (we’ve got more on this below).

What is the energy price cap?

This is a limit on the price of gas and electricity designed to prevent suppliers from overcharging customers for energy. Although it’s often presented as a cap on yearly energy bills, the actual cap is on the cost per unit of energy. This means if you use more than is typical (or you live in a shared student house), your yearly bills will likely be higher than the average.

What can students do to lower their household bills? 

If you’re not using a bill-splitting service (with uncapped energy) to manage your utilities, you may need to consider taking the following approach to make sure your bills aren’t going to cost more than your predicted usage… 

  1. Get an electric blanket 

A heated electric blanket is a cheap investment (you can pick one up for around £30) and a simple way to cut heating bills. They typically cost around 2-8p per hour to run, so they are a much more efficient way to keep yourself warm than switching on your radiators – plus, you have an excuse to get some uni work done from your bed! 

  1. Charge electrical devices at the library for free

If you work better at the library, make sure you make the most of all the free electricity while you’re there! Don’t leave until your phone, laptop, tablet, and other gadgets are fully charged.   

  1.  Take shorter showers

Reducing the time you spend in the shower can have a dramatic effect on your energy bill (and your water bill if you have a water meter). Taking a daily ten-minute shower can cost around £12 per month in energy bills. If you live with three other students, that’s nearly £50 a month just on showering. Try keeping it to 5 minutes – unless it’s a big prep night out.

  1. Never skip meter readings

If you forget to send your meter readings, your energy company will estimate your usage, and sometimes they can massively overestimate! Always remember to send your meter readings each month (unless you have a smart meter installed).   

  1. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature

Most of your clothes will get perfectly clean when washed at 30ºC, so there’s no need for higher temperatures. Plus, you can use a colour catcher to avoid any colours from running when you wash clothes of different colours. This will stop you from wasting energy washing that one white top you own!

At Split The Bills, you don’t have to worry about the amount of energy you’re using.  If you go over your predicted usage, you’ll still pay the same amount each month, which will help you budget better!

Simplify your student household bills with Split The Bills 

Paying your household bills as a student can be a real headache, especially when your energy bills change from month to month, making it almost impossible to budget effectively. This isn’t to mention the hassle of splitting all the bills between your housemates and making sure everyone pays on time.   

Split The Bills offers a simple way to split your household bills without any of the usual hassles. We’ll find the best deals, set up your utility accounts and direct debits, and calculate how much everyone needs to pay – all you need to do is pay one bill each month! 

You can choose the services you want included in your package, including gas, electricity, water, and even a TV Licence (if you plan on watching live TV). Best of all, your gas and electricity plan is uncapped, giving you peace of mind about your monthly bill.

If you want a simpler way to share your household bills, find out more about what we do or get a quick quote for your house today.