Cheaper GAS if Disabled person in the House?

JediMaster

My friend has a 13yr old with disabilities, is there any options to get reduced Gas or Caped service?? She is with EoN, I looked online & can only se info regarding over 60's not disabled customers.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

atwitsend_2

I have a 7 year old disabled boy, and I dont get anything extra like the warm front scheme there is for the elderly, shame really, as IMO disabled people need heating just as much as an OAP

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

JediMaster wrote: »

My friend has a 13yr old with disabilities, is there any options to get reduced Gas or Caped service?? She is with EoN, I looked online & can only se info regarding over 60's not disabled customers.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hi JediMaster

Unfortunately, at the moment, we don't have a tariff specifically for disabled people other than those available to customers over 60.

However, there are ways we can help.

Ask your friend to contact our Caring Energy team. They offer vulnerable customers a straightforward route into a range of products and services to help reduce energy bills. Things like, help with loft and cavity wall insulation, benefit checks and energy efficiency advice.

Make sure they are on the Priority Services Register. Caring Energy or any E.ON agent can do this whilst on the phone.

This opens up another range of services like gas safety checks, password protection when we need to visit and special controls/adaptors for both gas and electricity.

Have a look at our website for more detailed info. There is a link in my Personal Profile. Select About Us/Codes of Practice/Help and Advice for Customers with Special Needs.

Depending on where your friend lives, there may be help available with fuel bills through the Water Trust Funds. We work with Severn Trent, United Utilities and Southern Water to help those eligible receive assistance with their fuel bills.

Don't know if your friend will be eligible for help through the Water Trust but certainly worth asking the question.

I hope the above helps a little with the issues your friend faces. Give me a shout if you need any more info; will be glad to help.

Malc

jazabelle

Thanks for all that info Malc How much of the help is related to benefits? Some people are disabled but not actually on DLA etc, so are the same range of services available?

atwitsend wrote: »

I have a 7 year old disabled boy, and I dont get anything extra like the warm front scheme there is for the elderly, shame really, as IMO disabled people need heating just as much as an OAP

I agree, it's a shame disabled people don't get the same help. There are many conditions that cause people to have less temperature control, and need more warmth.

BigBouncyBall

atwitsend wrote: »

I have a 7 year old disabled boy, and I dont get anything extra like the warm front scheme there is for the elderly, shame really, as IMO disabled people need heating just as much as an OAP

I'm not wishing to start an argument, but 7 year old disabled people need heating just as much as able bodied 7 year olds. IMO. Why should their be a reduction?

atwitsend_2

BigBouncyBall wrote: »

I'm not wishing to start an argument, but 7 year old disabled people need heating just as much as able bodied 7 year olds. IMO. Why should their be a reduction?

You have NO idea what is actually wrong with my 7 year old, how can you jump to that conclusion without knowing what is medically wrong with him

jazabelle

BigBouncyBall wrote: »

I'm not wishing to start an argument, but 7 year old disabled people need heating just as much as able bodied 7 year olds. IMO. Why should their be a reduction?

Surely it depends on the condition. Many conditions cause vulnerability to the cold, particularly things like joint problems where the cold can cause additional pain. But I'm sure there are loads of conditions where more warmth is needed.

JediMaster

Thanks Malc for the reply.

I'll forward that info to her.

Her daughter has: cerebral palsey, rhetts syndrome, global developemental delays, severe epilepsy and visual and auditary processing disorders

To reply to BigBouncyBall "able bodied" 7yr old can walk, run & tell you when they are COLD. Other less able children & adults may not be able to move (so cant generate heat). You try sitting in a wheel chair all day & I'm sure you'll better understand where the others are coming from.

Invasion

BBB, everyone needs heating yes, not everyone needs heating 24/7 in the winter, because the cold causes agonising pain, because they have no control over their own temperature, and are bedbound most of the day, unable to move around to get warm.

atwitsend_2

I did find this in one of my sons montly newsletters, regarding cold weather payments.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Inretirement/DG_10018668

This year you will get £25 when the average temperature where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March. Specified Meteorological Office weather stations are used to obtain this information.

Limara

BigBouncyBall wrote: »

I'm not wishing to start an argument, but 7 year old disabled people need heating just as much as able bodied 7 year olds. IMO. Why should their be a reduction?

making a comment like that surely you didnt think any one wouldnt argue it?
I wonder how cold the able bodied 7 year old would be if you chained them to a chair all day and they couldnt move about! or maybe you could try it yourself for a few hours!

I have a disabled child when she was little and she got too cold she would go into uncontrolable muscle spasms and I am talking about getting too cold with a little breeze on a hot sunny day on the beach she would be the only kid wrapped up in winter clothes just to get some sort of normal life! In the early days we would all have to go round the house with summer clothes on indoors in the winter because the house needed to be kept at a heat level to keep her confortable, far hotter than we would ideally like to live in

The elderly get it because they need more heat it should be available for any one that needs more heat than usual.
My Daughter grew out of the spasms several years ago so I personally wouldnt benefit from any reductions BUT would welcome changes so people with any form of disability that need to have more heat could get some form of reduction.