Charity awards polio survivors £100 towards energy bills

30th March 2026

Since launching on 1 January 2026, the British Polio Fellowship has already received 38 applications for its Energy Support Grant from polio survivors seeking help with the rising cost of heating their homes.

So far, more than 30 polio survivors across the UK have been awarded £100 each to contribute towards their gas and/or electricity bills through the Fellowship’s Energy Support Grant programme. He remainder are currently being processed.

The grant is designed to support people who previously had polio and now experience temperature sensitivity linked to Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS). Because of this condition, many polio survivors require extra help in staying warm in the winter (or cool in the summer), leading to higher-than-average energy costs. The financial support helps recipients cover the additional heating or air conditioning they often need during the colder winter, or hotter summer, months.

“With energy prices reaching record highs, many polio survivors face the risk of fuel poverty”, commented Kripen Dhrona, BPF’s Chief Executive Officer.

“For households where no one qualifies for government support, the Energy Support Grant from the British Polio Fellowship provides vital assistance. Many applicants live on low incomes and require extra heating due to the long-term effects of polio.”

Staying warm/cool is especially important for people living with the effects of polio and PPS. Many survivors already experience limited mobility, and symptoms such as muscle weakness, pain, or paralysis, sometimes appearing years after the original infection, which can make it difficult for the body to regulate temperature.

Energy bills have remained high and, at times, unpredictable in recent months. This is largely due to the UK’s continued reliance on volatile global wholesale gas markets, ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and rising infrastructure costs within the energy sector.

Like many others, members of the British Polio Fellowship have seen a rise in energy prices, and this has resulted in significantly higher gas and electricity bills for many. The charity emphasises that the grant programme would not be possible without the continued generosity and support of donors who contribute to the fund.

Since its establishment in 1939, more than 87 years ago, the British Polio Fellowship has provided thousands of grants to polio survivors across the UK, offering support through energy assistance, welfare funding, and holiday grants.

To find out more about The British Polio Fellowship and to learn about the late effects of polio and post-polio syndrome visit: www.britishpolio.org.uk