Warm Home Discount-Help

chljoe

Hello. 

A bit if background. January this year I applied for the warm home discount through British Gas, in the week that followed I received 2 emails, I saying my application has been successfully submitted, then another saying SUCCESS YOU WILL GET IT. Followed by dates I will get it by and a reference number to "keep for my records". Fast forward 6 months. I have chased British Gas for this several times and this morning after another long wait on the phone I was told that there are 3 steps to claiming the warm home discount. 1-apply online, 2-get an email saying your application was successful and you will get it, 3- if your 'chosen' by British Gas you will be sent a letter by end of March, as I didn't get the letter it means I wasn't 'chosen'. Has anyone else had experience like this?
thanks

poppy12345

The broader group aren't guaranteed to receive it because there's only a certain amount of money available. Applying in January was also rather last because application usually open around August/September. An email saying your application was successful, doesn't mean you'll definitely receive the money, it just means they've received the application. As you didn't receive the money then by March it's very unlikely you will now.

Applications are now open for 20/21.

chljoe

Thank you. I was not aware that it is not guaranteed, the email that I got gives no indication at all that I might not get it. This is what I received  
I was not made aware of the scheme until just before i applied which is why it was later going in 

Spoonie_Turtle

That's bizarre, actually says you'll get it (not just a confirmation of your application) so I would be thinking the same as you, that your claim was successful.  This might be a stupid question but if you've not claimed before you may not be aware of how it works - he £140 should have been credited on your energy balance, are you absolutely certain they've not done that at any point?

comeandgo

My mum used to get this as a credit on her gas bill, it was not paid into her bank.

[Deleted User]

British Gas pay as a voucher on the bottom of a letter that you take to the post office if you are a pre payment customer, I know that from experience as I got WHD with BG for 3 years and this is how I got mine. 

If you are a credit customer who pays monthly or quarterly than it will be added as a credit on your bill. 

That email is the same email I got last year. 

Have you escalated this as an actual complaint through the BG complaints procedure on their website? 

chljoe

Hello. Thanks for the replies. 

I have spoke to British Gas loads and they confirm that it has not been paid to me and will not be. 

I put a complaint in and the 10 days were up yesterday, a team leader called to go through the complaint. At the end of the call she said she is closing the complaint as I was not 'chosen' therefore will not get it even if I do have the email as proof. I also complained about the amount of times I was lied to by staff when I have been chasing this up. I have been told I will get it next week, by the end of the month, just a couple of weeks ago I was assured I will get it within 2-3 days. 

Her response to this complaint was they will look into it internally. 

During the call the team leader gave me the contact details for Charis Grants who do random checks for British Gas to check for eligibility. They confirmed that my application was not selected for checks therefore not dealt with by them and to speak to British Gas. 

I have requested a SAR from British Gas. 

I just don't know where to go from here. I don't want to give up as £120 is a lot of money to me. I am a single mum of 2 children under 5, work part time as a teacher. I get universal credit including the low income element. 

Any advice as to where to go from here will be greatly appreciated 

*attached is a photo of the live chat I had 

chljoe

RESULT- I put my complaint on Twitter, within 2 hours they had paid it onto my account 😊😊

poppy12345

When you say "paid into your account" do you mean into your energy account?

Muttleythefrog

chljoe said:

RESULT- I put my complaint on Twitter, within 2 hours they had paid it onto my account 😊😊

Too right. I would assume if they say your application is successful (other than successfully submitted) then it has indeed met the criteria and has fallen within any limitations they have on numbers who can get it.