Warm Home Discount 22-23

RGN007

Previous 2 years I've received the £140 (now £150) WHD from Octopus as one of the broader group due to receiving council tax reduction because my son is on ESA & PIP, but this year it's a new system and he's received the letter of entitlement, but he doesn't have an energy account in his name.
He pays me his "keep" of £300 a month which doesn't even cover his food, gas, electric. I still have a mortgage proving our home. I'm on state pension, but don't qualify for pension credit because I have an NHS pension that pays my mortgage.

I've rang Octopus but now it's nothing to do with them.
I asked them to add my son as my household partner but my name is now my first name and his name is in the family name section of the account.

It's a bit of an oversight, if the government agency are issuing the discount letters to vulnerable adults who don't have an energy account in their name to link the discount.

ariarnia

sounds like you need to ask for them to do something in specific to link things up. the only info i can find on the website says he doesn't need to be named on the energy account but you need to be linked on the dwp system.

 I live with my partner who is named on the energy bill, but I am eligible under the criteria. Will we receive the discount? Under Core Group 1 or Core Group 2, either you or your partner can be in receipt of the relevant benefit or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, so long as one of you is listed on the electricity bill or account of a participating supplier. Your partner must be registered on your record on DWP’s benefit system or you will not be eligible for a rebate.  
https://octopus.energy/blog/warm-home-discount/#faq-england-wales

@Spoonie_Turtle has been posting the info about the entilement and how the new system works so maybe they can help point you in the right direction? 

Spoonie_Turtle

ariarnia said:

@Spoonie_Turtle has been posting the info about the entilement and how the new system works so maybe they can help point you in the right direction? 

You called?

Actually this is one area I'm not sure of, sorry.  There might be something in the guidance for suppliers here https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-07/Final WHD Guidance E and W_V1 for publication.pdf  but I'm not up to trying to work it out right now.

ariarnia

ive had a quick look and its as clear as mud to me

i can see the bit about being the partner of someone eligable but not children who are eligable. it makes me wonder how it works for people who pay there landlord as part of there rent or on a sub meter or if they miss out to?

citizen advice might be able to help in the morning? 

DAVEMCFC

I'm in the same position. My brother received a letter saying he will get the WH discount off his energy bill, because he is on DLA and ESA, but he doesn't have an energy account in his name. The letters are obviously going out automatically, without any thought for how the scheme will work in practice. Gov.uk says only the bill payer and partner are eligible, but that was last year. The scheme this year is different. There will likely be tens of thousands in this position, all asking the same question. Hopefully Martin can get on to it and find out the answer.

Chrysalis

DLA has no bearing now if in England, so that letter seems especially unusual.

Spoonie_Turtle

Y'know, I think the relevant government dept has matched claimants with qualifying addresses, but bypassing the suppliers so have skipped the part about whether they are actually an account holder.

NedS

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Y'know, I think the relevant government dept has matched claimants with qualifying addresses, but bypassing the suppliers so have skipped the part about whether they are actually an account holder.

Either that, or they have just matched Surnames where mum and/or dad are the account holders.

Robbie64

^

Either way they have made a very basic error by sending out those letters as all of the qualifying criteria hasn't been met.

DAVEMCFC

If the letter says you are entitled, isn't that enough to make a claim? After all its their error, not yours?

pochase

How do you make a claim if you don't have an energy account?