MSE News: More pensioners can now claim the Warm Home Discount

Former_MSE_Paloma

More pensioners will be eligible for a £140 electricity rebate this winter as part of the Warm Home Discount scheme

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More pensioners can now claim the Warm Home Discount




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JJ_Egan

OVO not part of this scheme .

Richie-from-the-Boro

Its not news, it was first posted in July by 'Joyful' and since by other contributors. Having said that its worth posting again, and again, and again so that people see it.

payless

Am I right that this applies to standard tariffs only ?

LadyDee

Sadly, yet again those people who are forced to rely on Calor Gas will not benefit, nor those whose fuel is oil. These two fuels are often the only means of heating for thousands of Park Homes, Mobile Homes and static caravans, a very high percentage of which are occupied by pensioners.

societys_child

payless wrote: »

Am I right that this applies to standard tariffs only ?

No, I'm on EDF Blue+price promise Feb 2016 and received a letter* a few weeks ago:j

*From HMG - the credit should be applied to my account by the end of December.

Richie-from-the-Boro

- runs from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2015 and offers a rebate on electricity bills, of £120, rising to £140 in year 4
- about 2 million households to be assisted annually. The funding comes from the participating energy suppliers
- suppliers are required to spend annually, in aggregate, £250 million in 2011/12 rising to £310 million in 2014-2015
- those on 'sub' meters such as caravan parks have no direct supplier contact and do not get the WHD rebated to them
- ditto homes that are supplied by a landlord with a 'sub' metering arrangement with tenants
- those living 'off-gas-grid however will get the discount applied [they or their partner named on the leccy bill] to their electricity bill
- standard tariff or prepayment meter does not effect your rights to WHD, if you qualify by date & critera - you qualify
- 2 groups, Core Group [(data sharing) older pensioner households on low-income] and Broader Group [energy suppliers decide criteria]
- any dwelling getting an envelope-on-the-mat such as 'societys child' is a Core Group not Broader Group, only Core Group get DWP mail

st999

What about the pensioners who were savvy enough to provide for their retirement and get no benefits whatsoever?

Because I had an endowment to pay of my mortgage and got a lump sum from my pension that took my savings above the threshold they took away my pension credit and council tax benefits and now I get nothing.

Only 2 more cruises to bring my savings below the threshold and I can claim again:rotfl::rotfl:

societys_child

What about the pensioners who were savvy enough to provide for their retirement and get no benefits whatsoever?

Yep, I was on course to be in your position, mortgage paid off years ago, unfortunately a stroke brought my world crashing down.
Wish I had my health, could enjoy holidays and wasn't dependant on pension credit . . .

Joyful

The Warm Home Discount has no impact on whatever tariff you are on. Get yourself on the best tariff and get the £140 on top of it.

For people that have Calor gas or Oil you may still qualify in the Broader group if your supplier (like British Gas) do the fuel poor option. This way they will take your electic consumption plus what you spend on the heating fuel. If you then spend more than 10% of your income on them both you should qualify.

For pensioners, a question we often get asked is if the WHD will impact on the Winter fuel allowance from the Government. The answer to this is no. Please remember to check your pension documents. If it only shows Savings pension credit you need to speak to your supplier to be assessed.

Check out your suppliers website. This will show the criteria for the Broader Group. Do it soon as some suppliers may have a cut off for when they reach a number of applications.

viv0147

As a single man I was getting pension credit then when I became 65 I went onto basic pension with savings credit, up until then I was getting the warm home discount.
From April the eighth 2014
Total weekly pension £159.11
Savings Credit £12.50
Total weekly pension £159.11+£12.50 = £171.61
That is my total weekly income under the new rules can I qualify for the warm homes discount? Thanks