Warm Home Discount Implementation

NobodyHasThisName

Has anyone noticed that British Gas has adjusted their bill instead of paying the Warm Home Discount (WHD) into their account as stated in the HMG letter reference WHDS3 dated December 2023?

The relevant sentence in the WHDS3 letter is "Your energy supplier will apply the discount to your electricy account by 31 March 2024.".

My latest bill from British Gas is dated 23 March 2024 and WHD is itemised as being paid on 16 January 2024 and the bill has been adjusted. However, I was oblivious of this payment until the bill arrived. The account balance never changed and there was never a record of the WHD in payments made. On a minor point, the bill was due on 6 April 2024, and after the deadline, but arrived earlier because I complained of the delay.

All I am asking is where was the WHD money sitting for over two months? I can't be the only one affected like this so does anyone else have any other comment concerning BG's implementation of WHD?

Mobtr

Does it really matter as long as it’s been credited to your account? 

PennineAcute

First world problems!

Jyana

The same happened for me, it was added to my last BG bill in late February and I was able to get a £135 refund a few days later, leaving £40 in my account to cover a couple of months payments.(The refund has gone into my oil payment fund which will need topping soon)

I assume they kept the funds grouped together in wherever place all energy companies set aside for collecting monies for schemes such as the WHD, Winter Affordability Scheme, Octo Assist, free electric blankets, etc that they run for their vulnerable customers. Though it's possible they have them separate for each one they to keep things simple too. If they are smart this would be in a high interest account, or similar, so that the money they are charging their customers who pay for all these schemes (usually through the standing charge) is kept to the minimum in order to save said customers a bit of cash.