Warm Front Grant saved me a fortune!

pinkpauline34

You are all extremely lucky being able to qualify for this Scheme as it doesn't apply in Scotland unless you are over 60!

I have now taken this up with my MSP as I don't see why Scotland should be any different to the rest of the UK.

Has anyone else in Scotland come up against this?

Miss_Penny_Pincher_2

I had a Warm Front assessor come round about a month ago. I was really hoping for a new boiler as ours is 15 years old and also some loft insultation as the homebuyers survey said we definitely needed more. He said that they would only replace the boiler if it broke down and couldn't be fixed. Also we only have 4inches of loft insulation but he said that was enough to not qualify for any more. The only thing they agreed to was cavity wall insulation.

Today they sent firm round to do cavity wall insulation - I took day off work and was really pleased about getting it. They were really pleasant and drilled a couple of holes first of all to check if I was happy with it before they did the whole lot. They warned me that it would be holes all over the wall. I didn't realise it was all over and was shocked that they drill away at the bricks too - I thought it was just the mortar.

The installers said that I wasn't the only person who had expressed concern and had changed their minds. They said they could see why I had doubts about it and what's the point of having it done if you end up with ugly holes all over that stop you from selling the house afterwards! One of the installers said that he was hoping to buy his first home soon and said that he understood me not wanting it done especially with houses being so expensive these days!

They said that the insulation they had with them needed this drill which meant the bricks got chipped away at but that if they insulate with white stuff (?) then they can use a smaller drill which would only affect the mortar. They didn't have it with them but they said they could recommend that I have that one instead. They pointed out that the mortar they use to fill in the holes afterwards obviously wouldn't be the same colour mortar because its new but that doesn't bother me so much.

As you can see they were really understanding but am I being too melodramatic? This is our first home and we only moved in 6 weeks ago so possibly I am too proud of it!

fredsgirl

Sorry to add a sour note but I am retired own my own home but as I am just above the level for benefits I am not entitled to any of these perks.
It all seems so unfair when I have worked with people in the past who used to spend hours working out benefits so as not to lose any.
Try to get them to work an extra few hours but NO it will affect my family tax credit Who's the idiot eh

Miss_Penny_Pincher_2

fredsgirl I see your point but the reason that I am entitled to Warm Front is not because I have spent "hours working out benefits so as not to lose any" but I qualified because I receive DLA. This is not means tested and I work full time and do not receive any other benefits.

Poppycat

I can understand where you are coming from fredsgirl.

Not all of us play the game either. You cant deny people who are entitled to something, particularly as those how suffer the most tend to be those on low incomes, whether your old or young.

I could never afford to replace our boiler and I really had to exert pressue on the company to put the boiler in a.s.a.p as my old boiler was on the blink and we have a daughter who suffers from the cold, yet we dont get any help at all for her needs. We got turned down for DLA I accept that are far more deserving cases, I really only want some help with paying for fuel as pensoners get help, why cant we for her needs? She may be young but she feels the cold as much as a older pensioner.

---lee---

pinkpauline34 wrote:

You are all extremely lucky being able to qualify for this Scheme as it doesn't apply in Scotland unless you are over 60!

I have now taken this up with my MSP as I don't see why Scotland should be any different to the rest of the UK.

Has anyone else in Scotland come up against this?

Different rules apply in Wales also. It would be much simpler if the rules were all the same.

Lady_K

Which is the correct one to apply to? there are different numbers. Is the eaga partnership the same as warmfront? Theres also another different number for warm front on the government site so its a bit confusing. Is any better than the other?

My boiler is 18 years old now and I tried to put the heating on for the first time this winter tonight and it wont go on. The boiler is in the loft (valliant combination) so I can't check it myself. I'm on incapacity benefit I don't know if I'll get it or not but I'm going to try anyway as I dont have the finances for a new boiler

My water is actually working so I don't know exactly whats wrong but after 18 years theres going to be problems, I'm really hoping that they will grant me a new boiler but as the water is working they may not, thats if I am entitled at all

What do you think my chances are and is there anything I should or should not say when I ring?

Rebob

About 6 months ago I decided to try and see if there were any grants on the go. Due to two serious accidents in the last 18 months our income has dropped over 5k a year. Anyway, after following leads from this site and ask.co.... I applied online for a grant. Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and other local councils have joined forces in trying to provide grants.

About 4 weeks ago I got a call out of the blue saying that there were 2 grants in this area (one warm front but cannot remember the other) and asked what heating we have now and what benefits and income were we on. After many very friendly calls (freephone no.) we were told yesterday that we qualify for a full grant for a condernsing combi boiler and radiators and they even pay up to £600 toward the gas being put in! In total we are to get up to £3,300 towards the heating.

We currently have storage heaters that are over 20 years old and an immersion heater on economy 7 so are exstatic!!!!:j :j :j :j :j :j :T :T

Poppycat

I would certainly try Lady_K no harm in asking. I am also on IB, but its more to with entitlement, ie low incoems anything up to £15,000 and or whether the boiler needs replacing or fixing either way it needs something doing. You may get help with having your walls filled in with insulation, draught proofing, roof insulation too.

As far as I am aware warm front is Ega. Good luck.

Rebob

Lady_K wrote:

What do you think my chances are and is there anything I should or should not say when I ring?

Give them a ring, the worst they can do is say no!!!!