Warm home discount

macatac wrote: »

I applied for the warm home discount again in 2016,as I have received this each year that I have applied. A few weeks ago it seemed strange that British Gas hadn't made the payment,so I contacted them regarding it. I was astonished when they told me my account was no longer with them, but I was with Scottish Power. It was discovered that a erroneous transfer had taken place, and BG are now in the process of switching me back to them. I didn't receive a goodbye letter from BG or a welcome letter from SP, so I was totally unaware of what had taken place. I have asked BG if I will still receive the warm home discount when they reopen my account with them, but they seem very reluctant to answer this. Am I entitled to the discount when this has all been resolved ? Your advice would be much appreciated.

No you won't get the WHD even if British Gas confirmed before December 16 2016 that you will get it.

The eligibility cut-off date was 10 July 2016 and if you were with a supplier which was part of the scheme on that date you qualify. But and here comes the punchline, for the Broader Group if you change supplier before you get the WHD payment you lose it. But if you change supplier after you get the WHD payment you can keep it.

That rule is different for the core group: If with a supplier which was part of the scheme on the eligibility date and they change supplier before they get the payment the last supplier still pays it.

The question is whether British Gas is switching you back to them because they made a mistake or whether you yourself have initiated the switch back. If the former then it's still possible that you will still get the WHD.

Note that the WHD has to be paid by the end of April 2017. If you have not received the payment by then you can enter BG's complaints procedure and from there to Ofgem. But as energy suppliers largely make their own rules for the broader group over who to pay you could be flogging a dead horse.