Warm Homes Rebate

50Twuncle · 10 July 2014 at 9:02AM

Last year - I received the warm homes rebate (based on income and disability - hence NOT the mandatory group) - so I enquired from Scottish Power again this year.
They responded that I was only entitled to the £135, this year, if I was in the mandatory group
Is this correct ?
Have the rules changed ?

"You will be eligible for Warm Home Discount if you were a Domestic Electricity customer on 8th July 2013 (the qualifying date) and you fall into one of the following categories:
1. Aged 80 and under and receiving only the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (no Savings Credit)
2. Aged 80 or over and are receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)

If you qualifty based on the criteria outlined above then there no need for you to apply direct to ScottishPower as you are automatically entitled to receive the rebate. You would have received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions during 2013 telling you that you qualify for the Warm Home Discount rebate under the core group of customers.

For those who qualify the rebate will be paid by 31st March 2014 and it will show on your electricity statement covering that period.

Please note that the household must have been a ScottishPower domestic electricity account at the point the rebate is paid. If you change supplier inbetween the qualifying date (8th July 2013) and the rebate is being paid (31st March 2014) you will need to apply to your new supplier for a rebate under the Warm Home Discount scheme."

EstherH · 16 July 2014 at 4:45PM

Hi, I have the same question but I am with Eon. I have just had a confusing conversation with someone at Eon who told me to look on https://www.direct.gov.uk but I am still no clearer. I receive DLA and also have my stamp paid, I think this used to be called unemployment benefit but as I was a stay at home mother when I became disabled I hadn't paid NI contributions so wasn't entitled to any more than having the stamp paid. Now I don't even know which benefit that would be called since all the names have been changed. Can anyone help? Thanks in anticipation.

Esther

Froglet · 16 July 2014 at 9:34PM

I applied for the warm home discount last year because my husband has taken early retirement and receives only a small pension,and I only work part time.So as a household we qualify as he is over 62,and our income falls below the 16k they state.

I heard no more,the rules said they could ask for proof of income.As they didn't and Scorttish Power is not well known for it's efficiency these days I was doubtful to whether we would get it.

But we did,without any further questions.i shall apply again this year if it is still running.

Richie-from-the-Boro · 16 July 2014 at 11:26PM

Previous to 12 July 2014 - Core Group

There are and were two types of pension credit :

- the guaranteed type, and ;
- the Savings type

There are and were two types of WHD group :

- the core group, and ;
- the broader group

If on the 20th of July last year if you were :

- under or over 75 and get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit .. / or / .. not the Savings Credit part or get both guarantee and savings element

- or 75 or over and get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit .. .. even if you also get the Savings Credit part

You would have got last years WHD automatically, and would have been classed as core group.

This year the rules have changed, if on the 12 July 2014 - Core Group if you were / are :

- under or over 75 and get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit .. /or / .. the Savings Credit part or both parts
- this group are now core group without an upper age limit

The two types of pension credit throws most people, many many people don't even know there are two types of pension credit award. You should not have to apply – you should get the discount automatically from your energy supplier and a snail mail notification from the DWP stating your eligibility to the core group. You should receive your letter by 24 December at the latest, if you don't see the address below. The previous policy denied those who made private pension provision, no matter how pitifully small an amount access to the 'core'. It would be fair to say that group would be mainly those who earned and were able to save less. Women in this society have earned at least 40% less than males [like for like]. The scheme for winter 2013 to 2014 is closed.

Write to the Warm Home Discount Team if you don’t get a letter but believe you qualify.

Warm Home Discount Team
Pink Zone, 1st Floor
Peel Park
Brunel Way
Blackpool
FY4 5ES

Best of luck !

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc · 17 July 2014 at 9:34AM

EstherH wrote: »

Hi, I have the same question but I am with Eon. I have just had a confusing conversation with someone at Eon who told me to look on www.direct.gov.uk but I am still no clearer. I receive DLA and also have my stamp paid, I think this used to be called unemployment benefit but as I was a stay at home mother when I became disabled I hadn't paid NI contributions so wasn't entitled to any more than having the stamp paid. Now I don't even know which benefit that would be called since all the names have been changed. Can anyone help? Thanks in anticipation.

Esther

Morning Esther

Sorry your phone call to us yesterday wasn't more fruitful. Thought I'd pop on and add a bit of information to the advice Richie has posted.

If you qualify for Warm Home Discount under the Core Group, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write directly to you.

They'll start writing to those eligible for the 2014/15 payment of £140 in September 2014. This will continue until December 2014.

The aim is for all Core Group customers to be paid by 31 December 14.

There's nothing you need do if you qualify under the Core Group. We'll automatically credit your account with the payment.

If you don't qualify under the Core Group, you can still apply to us to see if you're eligible under the Broader Group. You will, though, need to contact us. There's an application form on our website as well as details of the conditions you need to meet.

We're taking applications for the Broader Group now. The aim is for payments under the Broader Group to hit accounts by 31 March 15.

If you do qualify for Warm Home Discount under either group, you might also be eligible for help with energy saving home improvements. This is under another Government led scheme called the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

This is for help with things like improving insulation, better heating and general energy saving measures. Again, there's more information about this on our website.

Hope this makes things a bit clearer Esther. Let me know if you need any more details as happy to help.

Malc

EstherH · 17 July 2014 at 5:43PM

Hi Malc, thanks for your answer. I will apply and see what happens.

Esther

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc · 17 July 2014 at 5:48PM

You're welcome Esther. Glad to help.

Hope the application goes well.

Malc

lukieboy96 · 17 July 2014 at 5:48PM

I think it is £140 this year and the final year unless they change that!

Joyful · 18 July 2014 at 9:16AM

Richie-from-the-Boro

You are slightly incorrect re the Core group. If anyone is on Guaranteed Pension credit or Guaranteed plus Savings Pension credit they do not need to apply.

All those with Savings pension credit only still need to contact their energy supplier.

Before anyone calls their supplier please check your paperwork from the DWP. Many letters only talk about Pension Credits so people need to look further to know which they are getting.

For any British Gas Broader customers that want to apply, the applications will be taken up till 31.3.2015. If it is busy when you call please hold off a few weeks as letters are being sent to last years applicants over the next few weeks and have been over the last 4 weeks. You have the rest of the year to apply. Alternatively you can apply online at the BG website.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc · 18 July 2014 at 10:30AM

lukieboy96 wrote: »

I think it is £140 this year and the final year unless they change that!

You're right lukieboy, the 2014/15 payment is £140.

At the moment, the scheme's due to run every year until March 2016.

Malc

50Twuncle · 18 July 2014 at 1:49PM

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

You're right lukieboy, the 2014/15 payment is £140.

At the moment, the scheme's due to run every year until March 2016.

Malc

So - does that include the winter of 2015/16 - ie another 2 years ?
and what is likely to happen after that ?

Warm Homes Rebate

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