Energy Support scheme & care home residents

MsMoon

An elderly relative is in a care home & as his representative I got a letter from the care home advising my relative would be eligible for the £400 energy support. However he has not sold his property yet and has already received the energy support for his property.  Am I right in thinking he would not be eligible to get it again as a care home resident?

Spoonie_Turtle

People with multiple homes can get it for each home, no reason why a care home resident can't get it at their actual residential address as well as the property they own but don't live in.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic 

Eligible homes

You may be eligible to apply if your main home is:

• in a care home or assisted living facility and you pay for some or all of your care (directly or through loss of pension or other benefits)

If you live in a care home

You’ll also need to upload either:

• an invoice for your care home fees from the past 3 months
• an official document from the care home including your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of the care home

MsMoon

Spoonie_Turtle said:

People with multiple homes can get it for each home, no reason why a care home resident can't get it at their actual residential address as well as the property they own but don't live in.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic 

Eligible homes

You may be eligible to apply if your main home is:

• in a care home or assisted living facility and you pay for some or all of your care (directly or through loss of pension or other benefits)

If you live in a care home

You’ll also need to upload either:

• an invoice for your care home fees from the past 3 months
• an official document from the care home including your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of the care home

Thanks - I clicked on that, it then asks has he already received it - so I would click NO as he hasn't received it for the care home?

MsMoon

MsMoon said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

People with multiple homes can get it for each home, no reason why a care home resident can't get it at their actual residential address as well as the property they own but don't live in.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic 

Eligible homes

You may be eligible to apply if your main home is:

• in a care home or assisted living facility and you pay for some or all of your care (directly or through loss of pension or other benefits)

If you live in a care home

You’ll also need to upload either:

• an invoice for your care home fees from the past 3 months
• an official document from the care home including your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of the care home

Thanks - I clicked on that, it then asks has he already received it - so I would click NO as he hasn't received it for the care home?

Ok - I clicked NO - it seems to say you are only allowed to claim for your main home, not additional homes, so I will wait for a few more replies before submitting it in case the ruling on multiple homes has changed.

matt_drummer

Haven't you already `claimed' for the main home?

By claiming again you will be getting it twice?

matt_drummer

Spoonie_Turtle said:

People with multiple homes can get it for each home, no reason why a care home resident can't get it at their actual residential address as well as the property they own but don't live in.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic 

I can't see anywhere there that says you can get it for multiple homes. It says you can claim for your main home if you haven't already received it automatically.

It also says that you cannot apply if you have already received the EBSS payments.

Why should a person get it twice?

MsMoon

matt_drummer said:

Haven't you already `claimed' for the main home?

By claiming again you will be getting it twice?

I hadn't heard of being able to do that before until I posted the question here today, I googled it and found a few newspaper articles:

https://www.express.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/1616768/energy-bills-rebate-grant-loophole-400-paid-twice

MsMoon

matt_drummer said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

People with multiple homes can get it for each home, no reason why a care home resident can't get it at their actual residential address as well as the property they own but don't live in.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic 

I can't see anywhere there that says you can get it for multiple homes. It says you can claim for your main home if you haven't already received it automatically.

It also says that you cannot apply if you have already received the EBSS payments.

Why should a person get it twice?

I haven't applied yet, just posing the question and I won't apply until I'm sure it is allowed. But if there is a loophole that allows it, then there's a loophole that allows it and you should ask Rishi why it exists.

matt_drummer

The newspaper article suggests that it is immoral and benefits the wealthy.

Claiming more than once can't be right and the government website supports my assertion.

You can only claim for your main residence.

The people in the article would be getting it automatically through their bills, not right, but they aren't submitting claims for something they have already had.

I suspect the care home has written to you because they would like that £400 for themselves.

matt_drummer

MsMoon said:

matt_drummer said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

People with multiple homes can get it for each home, no reason why a care home resident can't get it at their actual residential address as well as the property they own but don't live in.
https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic 

I can't see anywhere there that says you can get it for multiple homes. It says you can claim for your main home if you haven't already received it automatically.

It also says that you cannot apply if you have already received the EBSS payments.

Why should a person get it twice?

I haven't applied yet, just posing the question and I won't apply until I'm sure it is allowed. But if there is a loophole that allows it, then there's a loophole that allows it and you should ask Rishi why it exists.

Loopholes don't have to be used.

Maybe be satisfied with all the help your relative has already received.

It is not Rishi Sunak's money, it comes from tax payers like me and maybe you.

matt_drummer

MsMoon said:

I haven't applied yet, just posing the question and I won't apply until I'm sure it is allowed. But if there is a loophole that allows it, then there's a loophole that allows it and you should ask Rishi why it exists.

There isn't a loophole, it is for your main residence only.