Warm home discount

__Selina__

siverbuthappy said:

I received a letter about the warm home discount asking me to ring them.
When I rang they asked me some questions and then told me that they had approved me to receive it. They said they would send the relevant information to my energy company. When the money didn’t arrive in my electric account I rang and was told I needed to contact the warm home discount team. Sadly when I did there was just a message on it saying the warm home discount scheme had now closed and to contact your supplier. No matter who I try to contact no one seems to know how I trace this payment. Expecting this money to be credited to my energy account I used more electric to keep warm during the winter. Now I am left having to find extra money which means cutting down on the food I buy. At 75 years old it is not a good place to be in.
Are others having the same problem with this payment? 
What can I do to trace it?
I feel like I am walking into a brick wall!!!!

If you have a read of my comments above, I am in a similar situation, though I received a letter saying I would get it automatically but then didn't. I'm going round in circles with Ofgem and my energy company. 

__Selina__

Chrysalis said:

__Selina__ said:

I've now had a reply from the Ofgem Warm Home Discount Team by email, saying I need to deal with this with my energy supplier. But my energy supplier (Octopus) is still saying that unless they hear from the DWP by the end of this month, I'm not getting the discount. Ofgem WHDT also says I can alternatively complain about my supplier. No update from my local MP. It's just nuts. 

Given the advice from Ofgem, you could escalate an official complaint with the supplier, than the ombudsman becomes an option.  I think the Ofgem reply is a bit of a "pass the buck" exercise, but ideally would like to see the full wording of what you sent to them and their full reply (private details censored of course).

Did the full wording I posted make any difference? Appreciate any help with this as it's still ongoing...

Chrysalis

Hi, sorry for not replying, did you complain to complaints@beis.gov.uk. ?

__Selina__

Chrysalis said:

Hi, sorry for not replying, did you complain to complaints@beis.gov.uk. ?

No problem. Not yet so I guess that is what I try next. Octopus reply about once a week or two to say they're still looking into it. No update from my local MP yet either. 

daydream_believer

Similar situation.
My adult Son received the letter in November. he lives at home with us, I rang the WHD helpline who told me that they could not process it (even though he qualified) as the DWP had not passed on the correct info, as my name is on the energy bill he should have been entitled as I am his appointee but DWP had not told WHD that he has an appointee.
I went round in circles between DWP and WHD getting  nowhere, eventually they asked me to send in a copy of the letter proving I am his appointee along with a copy of the original letter from WHD and details of energy supplier. I did this end of Feb and heard nothing back.
Got MP onto it (not much use) and also raised a formal complaint with DWP as it was their incompetence that caused all the issues.
The complaint was raised on Jan 30th and is still unresolved. I asked DWP to pay it as it is their fault it hasn't been paid but they didn't respond to that surprisingly.
I'm now waiting again to hear back from DWP, last action was they had forwarded it to a Technical Team and were waiting to hear back from them, 
Thing is I can see the exact same thing happening next year.

__Selina__

daydream_believer said:

Similar situation.
My adult Son received the letter in November. he lives at home with us, I rang the WHD helpline who told me that they could not process it (even though he qualified) as the DWP had not passed on the correct info, as my name is on the energy bill he should have been entitled as I am his appointee but DWP had not told WHD that he has an appointee.
I went round in circles between DWP and WHD getting  nowhere, eventually they asked me to send in a copy of the letter proving I am his appointee along with a copy of the original letter from WHD and details of energy supplier. I did this end of Feb and heard nothing back.
Got MP onto it (not much use) and also raised a formal complaint with DWP as it was their incompetence that caused all the issues.
The complaint was raised on Jan 30th and is still unresolved. I asked DWP to pay it as it is their fault it hasn't been paid but they didn't respond to that surprisingly.
I'm now waiting again to hear back from DWP, last action was they had forwarded it to a Technical Team and were waiting to hear back from them, 
Thing is I can see the exact same thing happening next year.

They've made such a mess of things  

Chrysalis

daydream_believer said:

Similar situation.
My adult Son received the letter in November. he lives at home with us, I rang the WHD helpline who told me that they could not process it (even though he qualified) as the DWP had not passed on the correct info, as my name is on the energy bill he should have been entitled as I am his appointee but DWP had not told WHD that he has an appointee.
I went round in circles between DWP and WHD getting  nowhere, eventually they asked me to send in a copy of the letter proving I am his appointee along with a copy of the original letter from WHD and details of energy supplier. I did this end of Feb and heard nothing back.
Got MP onto it (not much use) and also raised a formal complaint with DWP as it was their incompetence that caused all the issues.
The complaint was raised on Jan 30th and is still unresolved. I asked DWP to pay it as it is their fault it hasn't been paid but they didn't respond to that surprisingly.
I'm now waiting again to hear back from DWP, last action was they had forwarded it to a Technical Team and were waiting to hear back from them, 
Thing is I can see the exact same thing happening next year.

All this non response stuff I dont think I have ever seen before in such large numbers.  Literally no one anywhere seems willing to own the problem.  It needs an MP to stand up in parliament and directly tell the DWP secretary to sort it out.

I believe the way the old WHD worked for the broader group was manual application, supplier would approve but do random checking, the one's checked a query would be raised with DWP to confirm they on X benefit, if DWP either didnt respond or said no, customer would be asked to provide proof.  I heard of very little complaints with this system, it worked like a well oiled ship.

One problem with the new system is the government refused to allow the suppliers to give the WHD on discretionary basis, if this permission was granted then anyone with these problems now might have been awarded the WHD from the suppliers directly to get round the problem, but they simply are not able to do it.

__Selina__

Just an update on my situation. I have finally received the Warm Home Discount applied to my energy account!

My local MP contacted the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, who confirmed that a discrepancy in my address meant me not getting it on time (because the govt has it as Upper Flat but Octopus has it as First Floor Flat! Ridiculous). Months ago, I asked Octopus if that could have been the problem (seeing as my address is also known as Flat 1 or Flat a, depending on the company - through no fault of my own) and they ignored the question. 

Anyway, I hope that others get sorted soon too. 

dealyboy

... so pleased your tenacity has won through ... I suspect this is the tip of an iceberg.

Best wishes cat person.

Spoonie_Turtle

Amazing!  Well done for persevering - it should never have taken so long - and congratulations!