Changeing supplier when Warm Home discount received

tracey3596

This may seem long-winded so I apologise beforehand,
but hopefully a wise sage can advise?

My mother uses British Gas for both Electricity and gas.
Currently her DD is £49-50 for both, which I thought seemed steep (she's a low user, especially electric at about 700kWh/year!)) so ...... after searching I can find both for £32-65 with NPower; quite a difference.
BUT -
she received the Warm Home discount in September, onto her electricity account. (British Gas supply her Gas and Electricity accounts seperately, to clarify.)
This means that she's approx. £140 in credit on her Electricity and approx. £45 in credit on her gas accounts. :j

So, to my question:

If mother switches provider, will the credit on these accounts be refunded to her?
OR .... will her Warm Home Discount be removed or otherwise affect a refund?

Obviously I don't want her to lose out, hence my asking.
Thanks for reading so far; I hope that it made sense? :rotfl:

macman

Your mother cannot possibly be using only 700kWh pa of electricity. That is about 1/5 of the average, and would only cost about £84 pa plus standing charges. If so, her DD is massively too high. Any credit on the account at the time of final billing is of course refunded, and the Warm Home discount will not be deducted from any credit due.
Are you doing the comp site comparisons using actual kWh figures?
PS: bear in mind that she may not qualify for the WH discount if she switches suppliers, unless she is in the Core group.

Joyful

Do make sure under what criteria she qualified for the Warm Home discount. If she is Core then as long as she goes to a company that is taking part she will be fine. If Broader there can be differences between the suppliers and she may miss out on £140 next Winter.

I have been speaking to customers recently who thought they were saving money by moving companies but found either they did not do the WHD or did not qualify.

As said above if there is credit on an account at change of supply it will be refunded once the industry reads are given to close the account.

tracey3596

Thanks for that. :beer:

Macman .... yes, that really IS her actual electricity usage. (On her own; 1-bed & gas cooker/heating.)
Prices were compared using actual kWh figures & actual meter readings.
Joyful .... it seems NPower participate in the Warm Home scheme, now to find out under what criteria she qualified. :cool:

As she is over 70, I am thinking she's in the Core Group though i will check this.