Do I have to create a Wise account in order to receive my Winter fuel payment?

Carlsdad

I have received an email from Bulb informing me that in order to receive my Winter fuel payment I must open an account with Wise money transfers. Is this a requirement? Can't they pay it directly into my Bulb account as they have done in the past? At 88 years of age, I have my work cut out as it is, dealing with people online. Yet another account is something I could live without.

GingerTim

This sounds very much like a scam email.

pochase

Bulb uses Wise for transferring money out, so not a scam.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79425341#Comment_79425341

In above threat the OP was no longer with Bulb, so it made sense to use Wise. This is no the case here.

Spoonie_Turtle

Do you mean the Winter Fuel Payment or the Warm Home Discount? 

The Winter Fuel Payment comes directly from the government so your supplier has nothing to do with it.  If the e-mail is about this one then it's definitely a scam. 

The Warm Home Discount will depend on how you pay your electricity and could be slightly more complicated to work out if it's legit or not. 

Carlsdad

Thanks for the input, and apologies due here, as it it indeed the Warm Home Discount. However, I still can't see why they are unable to apply the discount to my bill instead of involving me with yet another business which will sending me yet more unwanted emails.

Spoonie_Turtle

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/115001245512-The-Warm-Home-Discount

This page says for England and Wales "We'll automatically apply the credit to your account by 31 March 2023." 

They mention Wise in the section for Scotland, but only for people who leave Bulb before 31st March 2023.

I would be inclined to either ignore the e- mail, or contact Bulb directly (not through clicking anything in the e-mail) to ask for clarification. 

Ayr_Rage

Wise is just a money transfer company.

If a company is using Wise to pay a customer a rebate, they can pay from their account directly into any UK bank account, there is no need for whoever is getting the funds to have a Wise account themselves.

Gerry1

It's highly confusing, and Bulb haven't been at all clear.

@Spoonie_Turtle has provided one link, but in their wisdom Bulb have a slightly different version as well.

https://bulb.co.uk/warm-home-discount/

The explanation about Wise is tucked away, and states

This practice seems most unwise, because scammers will no doubt send out emails purporting to come from Wise.  Even worse is Bulb advising people to click on a link in an email from a third party and hassling them by warning that it expires in 7 days.

I'd be tempted to post Bulb a paying-in slip from my cheque book and tell them to sort it out !

Spoonie_Turtle

Are you able to link to where the Wise explanation is please?  I can't find it on that page nor in the T&Cs.  (Always useful to be able to see info in its context.)

Gerry1

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Are you able to link to where the Wise explanation is please?  I can't find it on that page nor in the T&Cs.  (Always useful to be able to see info in its context.)

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360027851232-What-is-TransferWise-and-how-do-I-use-it-

Spoonie_Turtle

Gerry1 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Are you able to link to where the Wise explanation is please?  I can't find it on that page nor in the T&Cs.  (Always useful to be able to see info in its context.)

https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360027851232-What-is-TransferWise-and-how-do-I-use-it-

Thanks.  So that confirms they do use Wise but doesn't confirm whether they use it for the WHD (unless someone leaves Bulb before 31st March - presumably if they left before getting the WHD, or perhaps to get a refund of their credit including any of the WHD left).