New warm home discount rule penalises those who own their home

gbhxu

Molly4 said:

Good Morning

I qualified for the Warm Home Discount last year due to being on a very low income so I came under the Broader Group and I live in England. I am not quite State Pension age yet, I receive PIP and Contribution based ESA. Even though my income is very low it is just above the threshold to qualify for means tested benefits so I, and many others in my situation miss out on a lot of help.  

Contribution based ESA is not one of the qualifying benefits for "Core Group 2" for WHD. Only Income related ESA qualifies

https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/low-income

You might qualify for "The Alternative Fuels Payment" of £200 in February

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/12/northern-ireland-p600-energy-support-payment/

(Scroll down for info)

Spoonie_Turtle

gbhxu said:

Molly4 said:

Good Morning

I qualified for the Warm Home Discount last year due to being on a very low income so I came under the Broader Group and I live in England. I am not quite State Pension age yet, I receive PIP and Contribution based ESA. Even though my income is very low it is just above the threshold to qualify for means tested benefits so I, and many others in my situation miss out on a lot of help.  

Contribution based ESA is not one of the qualifying benefits for "Core Group 2" for WHD. Only Income related ESA qualifies

https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/low-income

You might qualify for "The Alternative Fuels Payment" of £200 in February

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/12/northern-ireland-p600-energy-support-payment/

(Scroll down for info)

Only if they use an alternative fuel for heating (oil, LPG, wood, etc.).

Molly4

Thank you gbhxu and Spoonie_Turtle

I qualified last year purely because of my low income and not because of the benefits I am on which as I said in my post are PIP and Contribution based ESA which are not means tested . Now the Government has taken away the option for people like myself to qualify at all and there is no means to apply because I live in England. People living in Scotland are able to apply. 

I am not using an alternative fuel. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Molly4 said:

Thank you gbhxu and Spoonie_Turtle

I qualified last year purely because of my low income and not because of the benefits I am on which as I said in my post are PIP and Contribution based ESA which are not means tested . Now the Government has taken away the option for people like myself to qualify at all and there is no means to apply because I live in England. People living in Scotland are able to apply. 

I am not using an alternative fuel. 

I urge you to check entitlement to Universal Credit, although if you could claim it there's no guarantee you are living in a qualifying property for the WHD next year - that's what seems to have caught out most people out this year.  But claiming UC if you can would passport some other help including the £900 cost of living support over the next 18 months. 

People living in Scotland are able to apply because property data is not held in the same way, so they couldn't feasibly change it to the new system we have in England and Wales.  (Of course one downside of that system is that people who qualify may still miss out if they apply too late, or don't know they should apply.)

Molly4

Thank you Spoonie_Turtle

I have checked my entitlement to Universal Credit previously but I will do it again. My circumstances haven't changed since I last checked except like everyone the cost of eating and heating have tripled. If I did qualify it would open lots of doors for me. I have missed out on all the Cost of Living payments so far and all the other benefits and help people on means tested benefits have. I am 18 months "too young" to get my State Pension so I miss out there as well. 

I believe the energy rating on my home (which I own outright) is either a D or an E but I have not had it officially checked. I am looking into that now but I have been too unwell to let the assessor into my house. 

When is the deadline to apply? 

Spoonie_Turtle

The eligibility checker says the end date is 28th February, but entitlement is based on your circumstances on the 21st August 2022, the qualifying date.

With the UC, if the benefits calculators say you're not eligible, post over on the benefits board if you're willing to give a little information about your circumstances (savings, whether you rent/own,  they kind of thing).  If you don't live with a partner or have substantial savings I really can't see how you wouldn't be entitled to any UC.