Warm Home Discount Broader Group (Scotland) DWP Criteria problem.

poppy12345

Retired_Saver said:

Yamor said:

Are you getting Child Tax Credit? Or Universal Credit?

The means tested benefit requirement is for people applying for the Core Group.

That's not what it says on Octopus's website. The broader is means tested benefits or low income. Please see the link i posted above. DLA isn't included in their criteria this year.

Unlike the Core Group 2 scheme in England and Wales, customers who are on low income and on certain benefits need to apply for the Broader Group.

https://octopus.energy/blog/warm-home-discount/#scotland

[Deleted User]

Thank you sheramber.  I applied following Octopus Energy Broader Group (Scotland) criteria for 2023/24.  I was eligible and received the Warm Home Discount from Octopus Energy Broader Group (Scotland) for the past two years.  My financial and health circumstances are the same for 2023/2024:  DLA and low income - less than £18,723 gross  'State' Pension for 2023/24.

DWP would be able to confirm the information I submitted from my award letters (copies sent to Octopus Energy Warm Home Discount Team for Broader Group (Scotland) application and would be able to confirm my DLA award, as well as confirming that I do not receive any means tested benefit.

DWP - using different criteria insisted, by telephone today, that I was not eligible because I did not receive (the named it specifically) Savings Pension Credit.  Octopus themselves accept the information I submitted but I was chosen for audit and DWP would not verify my information - only their own criteria.

[Deleted User]

poppy12345 said:

Retired_Saver said:

Yamor said:

Are you getting Child Tax Credit? Or Universal Credit?

The means tested benefit requirement is for people applying for the Core Group.

That's not what it says on Octopus's website. The broader is means tested benefits or low income. Please see the link i posted above. DLA isn't included in their criteria this year.

Unlike the Core Group 2 scheme in England and Wales, customers who are on low income and on certain benefits need to apply for the Broader Group.

https://octopus.energy/blog/warm-home-discount/#scotland

Thanks poppy12345.  Yes, I saw the link.  When you click to apply on the Octopus Website link it clearly lists the criteria they themselves set for applicants of The Warm Home Discount (Broader Group) Scotland.  Their requirements are set out there. 

You have to select the ones from the two dropdown lists and submit details (such as award letters etc) to support your application.   They include DLA and a low income threshold of less than £18,723 gross p.a.  If selected for audit, they need  DWP to confirm - or Broader Group Scotland Applicants could be pretending to have a low Pension income and not be genuinely in receipt of DLA.  I know it is confusing. 

The information DWP game me, today, for not verifying my application details was inaccurate because they (Kerry) insisted that the criteria for The Broader Group had to include a means tested benefit - specifically Savings Pension Credit.

It is the Core Group who must be in receipt  of means tested benefits.  They do not need to apply and, like England, they receive the Warm Home Discount (Core Group) award automatically.  In Scotland only the Broader Group need to apply.  The criteria is different in England.  I am not sure about England but, in Scotland, the Energy Companies set their own criteria for The Broader Group.  Octopus Energy have accepted my applications for the previous two years.

I would not have applied if I had not been eligible:  I was eligible (same criteria with Octopus Energy as the past two years) of DLA and low income threshold.   DWP were required, on audit, to confirm my low income but they said I was not eligible because, for The Broader Group, Scotland, I had to be in receipt of a means tested benefit. 

It is when you actually apply that you see the specific criteria for The Broader Group.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Yamor.  DWP know, from Octopus Warm Home Discount (Broader Group) Team themselves that the applicant is not required to be in receipt, as Kerry stated today, specifically of Savings Pension Credit.

It can be confusing because, as you rightly say, The Government Criteria is different and allows energy companies in Scotland to set their own "wider/broader" group criteria.  DWP are aware of this and knew that Octopus were not asking for confirmation, or denial, of any means tested benefit.

I was upset because DWP could have, from my  information they already have on record, verified the details I had provided and they did not do this. 

Although I was definitely not rude in any way, I was really upset at Kerry's repeated insistence that I just did not want to hear that I was not eligible because I did not receive Savings Pension Credit.  The request had come from Octopus and DWP know that energy companies do not all have the same Broader Group criteria - Octopus did not ask if I received a means tested benefit - DWP insisted that it was essential and, as a result, refused to verify the truthful information I had submitted:  DLA and low income threshold. 

Jyana

poppy12345 said:

Retired_Saver said:

Yamor said:

Are you getting Child Tax Credit? Or Universal Credit?

The means tested benefit requirement is for people applying for the Core Group.

That's not what it says on Octopus's website. The broader is means tested benefits or low income. Please see the link i posted above. DLA isn't included in their criteria this year.

Unlike the Core Group 2 scheme in England and Wales, customers who are on low income and on certain benefits need to apply for the Broader Group.

https://octopus.energy/blog/warm-home-discount/#scotland

It does mention "and/or on low income" in the Broader Group requirements, and being on DLA is probably just to prove that the customer has a disability as that is generally the second of the two requirements for the benefit; income and then either a disabled or elderly family member.

Which actually now has me wondering, what if the info the DWP are meant to be confirming is that you are indeed on DLA, and hence disabled, but they are assuming that as it isn't a qualifying benefit for the finance side of things, have just refused it point blank. So just a misunderstanding maybe? Might be worth asking if this is tha case at least, get them to confirm your are on that benefit to your energy supplier, then press Octopus to check your income proof.

[Deleted User]

I would like to thank you all, very much, for your replies.  You only see the precise requirements for The Broader Group, Scotland, when you actually apply.  DWP know that, for the Broader Group Scotland, a means tested benefit is not essential.  For some reason, today, they insisted that, to be eligible, I had to be in receipt of Savings Pension Credit. 

Since I was not in receipt of this, it seemed that their decision was that I was not eligible and they were not going to confirm anything more.

Spoonie_Turtle

Jyana said:

poppy12345 said:

Retired_Saver said:

Yamor said:

Are you getting Child Tax Credit? Or Universal Credit?

The means tested benefit requirement is for people applying for the Core Group.

That's not what it says on Octopus's website. The broader is means tested benefits or low income. Please see the link i posted above. DLA isn't included in their criteria this year.

Unlike the Core Group 2 scheme in England and Wales, customers who are on low income and on certain benefits need to apply for the Broader Group.

https://octopus.energy/blog/warm-home-discount/#scotland

Which actually now has me wondering, what if the info the DWP are meant to be confirming is that you are indeed on DLA, and hence disabled, but they are assuming that as it isn't a qualifying benefit for the finance side of things, have just refused it point blank. So just a misunderstanding maybe? Might be worth asking if this is tha case at least, get them to confirm your are on that benefit to your energy supplier, then press Octopus to check your income proof.

This is what I was thinking.  The DWP need to confirm receipt of DLA, and Octopus need to see proof of income for the criterion they have decided themselves.

So it could be a miscommunication between Octopus and DWP, or somehow the application has been misclassified.  Either way, as the OP isn't saying they're on Pension Credit then it's completely irrelevant and DWP have no reason to be referring to it.

If you can stand to, maybe it would be worth trying the DWP number again in the hope you can get to speak to someone else, clarify which group your application was for, and see if you get anywhere with it this time.

HillStreetBlues

Retired_Saver said:

I would like to thank you all, very much, for your replies.  You only see the precise requirements for The Broader Group, Scotland, when you actually apply.  DWP know that, for the Broader Group Scotland, a means tested benefit is not essential.

It seems Octopus doesn't want to publish the T&C of the low income Broader Group,  only way to find out is to apply if you are an account holder.
The snippet of info they do state  is "but receiving means tested benefits and/or on low income, you may be eligible for the Broader Group Scheme."
To me that implies you don't need a means tested benefit if your income is below a certain level.
If Octopus are doing that  then it would be in-house, so having a clue why the DWP would be involved.
If you have checked that you are eligible I would open a complaint with Octopus as it seems they don't understand their own criteria.  

HillStreetBlues

Spoonie_Turtle said:

This is what I was thinking.  The DWP need to confirm receipt of DLA, and Octopus need to see proof of income for the criterion they have decided themselves.

So it could be a miscommunication between Octopus and DWP, or somehow the application has been misclassified.  Either way, as the OP isn't saying they're on Pension Credit then it's completely irrelevant and DWP have no reason to be referring to it.

If you can stand to, maybe it would be worth trying the DWP number again in the hope you can get to speak to someone else, clarify which group your application was for, and see if you get anywhere with it this time.

My best guess would be the the department (person) handing the audit checking could be basing the check on England & Wales and happened to pick the OP  that doesn't fall in the normal process.

[Deleted User]

Thanks HillStreetBlues.  I really did say that my application was for The Broader Group Scotland but it did not make any difference to the response/stance about needing the means tested Savings Pension Credit to be eligible. They were not willing to consider anything after that - not verifying what Octopus needed:  Confirmation of my low income and my DLA.  Thankfully I had my award letters.

I think I was polite when I tried to explain that the system in Scotland was different from the system in England.  The shutters really did seem to have come down.