Warm Home Discount - death before payment received

Bantamsaver

My mother in law died recently in February 2020 and my husband is getting the estate into order.    My mother in law was in receipt of pension credit guarantee credit and was in the core group for qualifying for the Warm Home Discount at the qualifying date in last July. At  the time she qualified for the discount she was with White Rose Energy although she has since moved supplier.   White Rose have just written to say that they are not paying the discount as she is now deceased.   Surely that cannot be correct?  After all the estate is going to have to pay the outstanding utility bill.  I cannot find anything in official guidance either about the Warm Home Discount or finalising an estate.  It cannot be that unusual for elderly people to die before getting their payment in March each year.   Are White Rose correct?

I originally posted this in the probate section but got lots of views but no responses, so perhaps this is a more appropriate section.

Norman_Castle

I would expect a part payment for the time she was eligible. Try contacting the supplier and asking for the bereavement team.

Ask here first. Warm Home Discount helpline
Telephone: 0800 731 0214
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm

Essmum

We made a payment last year to the estate of a person who died before the payment was received.As a company we were not obligated to make the payment.You may be able to appeal to someones sense of decency who can override the original decision but legally they dont need to make the payment. 
Sorry for your loss.

Essmum

Have just re read your post and can see she was in the core group.. that payment should have been made before October.Can I ask when your mil died? Whoever she was on supply with on the 8/9th July is responsible for making the payment. Not sure if the provider has a WHD team but if they do they would be your best bet to get this sorted  

burntwood

Bantamsaver said:

My mother in law died recently in February 2020 and my husband is getting the estate into order.    My mother in law was in receipt of pension credit guarantee credit and was in the core group for qualifying for the Warm Home Discount at the qualifying date in last July. At  the time she qualified for the discount she was with White Rose Energy although she has since moved supplier.   White Rose have just written to say that they are not paying the discount as she is now deceased.   Surely that cannot be correct?  After all the estate is going to have to pay the outstanding utility bill.  I cannot find anything in official guidance either about the Warm Home Discount or finalising an estate.  It cannot be that unusual for elderly people to die before getting their payment in March each year.   Are White Rose correct?

I originally posted this in the probate section but got lots of views but no responses, so perhaps this is a more appropriate section.

As she was eligible under the core group, then she was eligible if she met the criteria on 7 July 2019.

Get the executor to follow the supplier's complaint procedure if credit owed has not been paid.

White Rose Energy is supplied by licenced energy supplier, Robin Hood Energy. If your MiL was entitled to WHD, she should have received written confirmation by Mid December 2019.
See if the executor can find that confirmation letter.

burntwood

Essmum said:

Have just re read your post and can see she was in the core group.. that payment should have been made before October....

I don't think that is correct.
https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/guarantee-pension-credit

Essmum

The majority of Core group customers receive their WHD before the end of October if they are still on supply..for those who have switched supplier but were on supply on the qualifying date in July they would normally receive it before the end of the year when the files are received from the DWP.
This would be a by cheque or bank transfer. 
If you get no luck with the original supplier call the DWP  and let them know they are refusing to pay. 
The £140 will form part of her estate so you are entitled to it .

burntwood

Essmum said:

The majority of Core group customers receive their WHD before the end of October if they are still on supply..

I don't think that is correct, as I mentioned above.

But if you have a reliable source you can give to support that assertion you keep making, you may be able convince me otherwise.

Essmum

Having worked on the WHD dept for one of the major suppliers and dealing with the DWP on a frequent basis every  September to March..The majority of Core payments are made by the end of October as those are deemed most in need.The broader group claimants have until the end of March to receive their payments but some suppliers do make those payments early.. 
I dont feel a need to convince you of anything however the estate of the deceased Mil is entitled to the  payment from which ever supplier she was with in July.

SPOWER

This supplier has joined the scheme voluntarily, so not sure if that makes a difference?

Essmum

SPOWER said:

This supplier has joined the scheme voluntarily, so not sure if that makes a difference?

That shouldn't make a difference..as lots of people choose their supplier based on getting the WHD payment and it would be very unfair to change the rules halfway through  
The OP may have spoken to someone who wasnt aware of the rules so it may be worth another call to speak to a manager.