warm home discount scheme

Anthorn

Zeldazog wrote: »

Does anybody know what the core group was for the 2011/2012 scheme - my Mum receives Pension Credit, not the savings element, the guaranteed, or whatever it's called.

None of us knew about the scheme, and she insists she hasn't had the payment - I saw a post earlier saying that it *has* to be paid to the core group.

She's with Eon.

Can we do anything about this, does anybody know?

Now she knows, we can make sure it comes through this year, but I wonder if we can do anything about last years.

Thanks

I'm on Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and I get the warm home discount payment automatically and don't have to claim. This year as last year I received a letter from "HM Government" early this month informing me that according to information held by the DWP and my electricity supplier I'm entitled to it automatically and it was on my electricity pre-payment key a few days after that. I also received a letter from Southern Electric advising me to buy some electric in order to collect the payment. The payment was for £130.

According to the letter it has to be paid by December 31st although it will appear on the first quarterly bill after that.

I'd say first of all check quarterly statements to see if last year's was paid or for this year's the credit on the electricity meter in the case of pre-payment. The pre-payment credit is easily missed if not expected. Otherwise try contacting the DWP although it's too late to claim last years if she didn't automatically qualify. Also check to see if she was already on a discounted tariff and possibly didn't qualify.

There is a warm home discount scheme helpline on 0845 603 9439 or online at direct.gov.uk/warmhome

Zeldazog

Thanks for your reply Anthorn. Mum is on a montly direct debit, so we haven't missed a pre-payment credit, and she definitely didn't get a letter.

She's insistent on not having received it (I will ask to check her account, just in case, though)

My question is, does anybody know what the core group was last year - as far as I can see, she *should* have got it automatically as she's on Pension Credit, not the savings element - but did criteria change?

Zeldazog

Oops, just read the last bit of your post about whether she was on a discounted tariff - she used to be on one of the Age Concern plans, would that have made her ineligible?

Where do we find last years rules, does any body know?

andyfrank

i applied for this , this year 2012.2013 , i qualified , but had a letter saying thank you for the info and we will be in touch , but that was not a yes or a no , so i called them and they said yes you qualified but if your going to get the payment it will automatically go onto your account , i said well is that a yes or a no , her reply was each company has diff rules ours are on a priority basis i asked what the priority was and she said she didnt know , im with E-ON so STILL in the dark as to if we will or wont get it

sparklydog

I applied through EON's website last December and got an email saying they had recieved it. Emailed them yesterday asking if I was going to get the money and they replied asking who and where did I apply to, as they had already paid everyone who had applied. In other words they had lost my application thanks EON

carlislelass

We got a letter from BG, filled it in then got an acceptance letter. Today another letter saying money will go on next electric bill

Saversue

I filled in a form with British Gas, got an acceptance letter telling me my payment would be credited to my Electricity Account if I was still a customer in March 2013.
When the prices started to go up I contacted EDF and asked them if they had the same criteria as BG for people not in the core group and was told it was exactly the same.
Changed to Blue Price Promise and then found out, when completing their form, that there criteria is different and I don't qualify as you need to be on DLA and some form of Income Based Benefit. BG is just DLA and total household income below about 15k.
I was really annoyed because this does away with any saving with EDF. Then BG rang me up and said that they would like to offer me £150 to return to them, paid in 2 lots of £75 off my Gas Bill, one as soon as I am moved back and one in 12 months and I will still get the Warm Home Grant in March off my electricity bill. Also said to contact them again in 12 months to see if they can offer me anything else for staying with them.
As there are no tie in fees with Blue Price Promise I have decided to return to BG as the £!50 and Warm Home Grant will be more that I could save with EDF.
Not happy with information from EDF

spikeripley

sparklydog wrote: »

I applied through EON's website last December and got an email saying they had received it. Emailed them yesterday asking if I was going to get the money and they replied asking who and where did I apply to, as they had already paid everyone who had applied. In other words they had lost my application thanks EON

EON did exactly the same to me last year. I ticked all the qualifying boxes got the email confirming my application then nothing. When I rang they said the same to me as they did you. I sent them a copy of the email and complained, they credited my account with a gravitas payment saying they will pay me this time but I probably wont qualify next year. How do they know this? I do and I have applied again, when I didn't get conformation I emailed and asked for it. They replied they had received my application but I would have to wait until March next year to see if I had got it!! I need it for winter not spring

peter999

spikeripley wrote: »

EON did exactly the same to me last year. I ticked all the qualifying boxes got the email confirming my application then nothing. When I rang they said the same to me as they did you. I sent them a copy of the email and complained, they credited my account with a gravitas payment saying they will pay me this time but I probably wont qualify next year. How do they know this? I do and I have applied again, when I didn't get conformation I emailed and asked for it. They replied they had received my application but I would have to wait until March next year to see if I had got it!! I need it for winter not spring

Sounds like if you have to apply then you are not guaranteed to get it, as they can limit number of people who get based on budget.

The scheme has been privatised by government & energy companies run it.

peter999

andyfrank wrote: »

i applied for this , this year 2012.2013 , i qualified , but had a letter saying thank you for the info and we will be in touch , but that was not a yes or a no , so i called them and they said yes you qualified but if your going to get the payment it will automatically go onto your account , i said well is that a yes or a no , her reply was each company has diff rules ours are on a priority basis i asked what the priority was and she said she didnt know , im with E-ON so STILL in the dark as to if we will or wont get it

It's a disgrace that the energy companbies are allowed to run it like this with people waiting on the whim of private energy companies. They both control the energy price & access to the grant, it's a joke.