WHD Changes

rarasarr23

Hope someone can help with this. My dad got the WHD paid by EON Next in March 2024, he didn’t get a letter to inform him this was being paid last year, so we assumed it wasn’t due to him being ineligible, so it was a nice surprise to get the payment!

Cue this year, no letter again so called the WHD helpline to be told he’s not eligible. They say criteria has changed since last year… For him everything is the same, same supplier, property and he is still in receipt of Housing Benefit, there has been no improvements in the house or heating system.

Has the criteria changed since 23/24? 

He certainly has high energy costs, due to having E7!

Spoonie_Turtle

To my knowledge nothing has changed since last year.

Was it definitely the government funded WHD and not a discretionary thing from Eon?

Does he live in England, Wales, Scotland, or NI?  (As in, which one?)

The thing that has changed for this winter is the Winter Fuel Payment, for which pensioners now have to be claiming a qualifying means-tested benefit (Housing Benefit is not one).

rarasarr23

Spoonie_Turtle said:

To my knowledge nothing has changed since last year.

Was it definitely the government funded WHD and not a discretionary thing from Eon?

Does he live in England, Wales, Scotland, or NI?  (As in, which one?)

The thing that has changed for this winter is the Winter Fuel Payment, for which pensioners now have to be claiming a qualifying means-tested benefit (Housing Benefit is not one).

Thanks for replying. I did wonder if it was a payment from EON Next as a discretionary thing, I've emailed them now to clarify this. His electric statement does say Warm Home Discount £150 24/03/24.

He's in England.

Yes, he no longer gets Winter Fuel Payment, and is not in receipt of Pension Credit, just under the threshold, like many others. And this annoys me, as Housing Benefit is a Means Tested Benefit, but clearly not for the purpose of the WFP and our wonderful government!

rarasarr23

EON Next got back to me very quick, you were right it was given as a discretionary payment from them! 😃 they don’t know if they will run it again this year!