Catch 22 with Warm Home Discount

TryingHuman

Following the advice of a recent UK advert I saw, I am trying to apply for a Warm Home Discount in Scotland. The government website says I need to apply with my energy provider but my energy provider says I need to apply through the government. It then contradicts itself later and says I need to apply online by a certain date but there is nowhere on the website, or anything Google can find where I can access any application. As such, it seems the method for online applications with Scottish Power doesn't exist.

In previous years I have contacted Scottish Power and they keep telling me to wait and wait and wait and then after waiting 9 months they tell me I waited too long. Then I open a case with the Ombudsman who say I need to make a formal complaint and come back in 8 weeks. So, I make a formal complaint and then register again with the Ombudsman and while they're handling the case Scottish Power offer me a "good will gesture" of what I was eligible for 9 months previously, or sometimes a little less. Have done this for 4 years in a row now. Isn't there a better way? I don't want to fight with Scottish Power for the next 9 months. The government say people don't claim what they're eligible for while repeatedly ignoring cases like this.

Scot_39

As you live in Scotland - as you aren't getting it automatically - should you be and just a SP /DWP issue that needs to put you on the list - or are you part of the so called broader group ?

According to the SP pages - that second group have to apply annually (*).

And its a limited funding pot for that category - so potentially distributed differently every year  - which seems a less certain route (**)

And of course the qualification has just been extended - at least in England and Wales ? - as Scotland appears to have a mix of core and local rules - but sure read that was for 2026 (so maybe not this year - as auto payments based on Aug registered supplier.)  

Not sure how Scottish scheme might change as a result in future. Has Holyrood or suppliers said ?

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/warm-home-discount-scheme

(*)

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/warm-home-discount

"Customers who live in Scotland and are not eligible for Core Group 1 but receive other benefits meeting the suppliers criteria must apply each year."

(**) and worryingly on the how to apply 

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/warm-home-discount#do-i-need-to-apply-for-the-warm-home-discount

(**) "There is a limit to the funding we have available, and we try to make as many payments to eligible customers as the funding allows."

As far as I can see there are currently no active links on some of the SP FAQ / help pages to apply under that broader scheme. But what looks like old bold text - so possibly were their and will be again come Oct - as that might be because the process only goes live again in October - according to 

https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/low-income-scotland

Theres is a bit on failures linked on the gov uk site too - so were you told by DWP you were entitled for core ?

TryingHuman

@Scot_39
Some people get the WHD automatically. For example pensioners. But they say that anyone in the broad group can apply. Of the criteria they limit this to, I qualify because I receive Universal Credit. But I also need to demonstrate limited access to work. Well, I am a full time carer (non paid on Carer's Allowance) so this limits my ability to be employed. Would be nice to be paid more than 53p per hour, but it's better then nothing. So much for "minimum wage".

When I have applied with Scottish Power before, like you say, they tell me to wait until after October. Then I apply after October and they tell me to wait until after December. Then I apply after December and they tell to to wait until after March. Then I apply after March and they tell me to wait until after June. Then I apply after June and they tell me applications closed after March.

Then I make a formal complaint that I was mislead. Scottish Power repeatedly tell me they understand my pain but there's nothing they can do. Then after 8 weeks I make a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman and supply all the emails going back to October as evidence I was mislead.

Then, just before the Ombudsman make their decision to force Scottish Power to pay, Scottish Power contact me and say they are offering a "good will gesture", usually of £150 but sometimes £120. If I accept this offer, this wipes away the complaint from the Ombudsman. I've done it this way for 4 years in a row now and every time it's the same. I just wondered if anyone reading this knew of a less confrontational way. If not, at least this account has been recorded online for others facing the same struggle. During winter I don't use heating and the temperature sometimes goes down to 7°C. So the scheme doesn't help me get through the winter, since by the time they pay (put credit on the meter) winter has long passed. It seems to me to be a broken system.

I've contacted my MP many times but all they do is phone Scottish Power who tell them the same thing they tell me. The government seems to have no power to change anything. I won't bother voting again.

Largs

Being on Universal Credit and being a Carer is not part of their qualifying criteria.  I wonder if this is somehow part of the problem.

In Scotland, if you are in receipt of Universal Credit, 1 of the following must also apply; 

• Has parental responsibility for a child under the age of 5 who resides with that person

• Has limited capability for work and work-related activity

• In receipt of the disability child element

KxMx

As above you don't qualify. 

Your Universal Credit claim would need to include LCWRA element to be eligible. 

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity