Warm Home Discount - Name on Bill Eligibility

Gustygoat

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on the following, please?

My wife and I became estranged last week and I have left the marital home, a property where most of the bills are registered in my name and the monies leave my bank account. I have begun contacting various authorities/companies to advise of the change in circumstances.

With my estranged wife now waiting on her Universal Credit application, I note the WHD eligibility deadline of this coming Sunday.

However, with our EDF gas and electricity bill in the red to about £300 and without the means to clear it in full until payday on 29 August, I'm wondering how I can ensure she does not miss out on the £150 payment - assuming she is still on UC this winter.

I assume EDF won't let me close the account and let her open a new one in her name until the outstanding balance is cleared, but would adding her name to the bill for a week or so ensure she qualifies for WHD?

I'm concerned the latter course of action could raise red flags with the authorities and/or impact her UC assessment), even though the bill in joint names would only be for a few days at most.

We are on a deemed tariff, so receive bills each month and while I normally settle them promptly, some arrears have built up.

Thanks for your help.

GG

Spoonie_Turtle

Firat question: are you in England, Wales, or Scotland?

Nothing you do with the bills will affect your wife's UC application.  She also won't need to still be claiming it in winter, she just needs to be eligible for a payment for the month that includes the qualifying date - assuming she has already submitted her claim, all she needs is to be entitled to a payment at the end of the assessment period (calendar month running from the date she submitted her claim).

In previous years they have said the claimant needs to be names on the energy bill but people have been automatically matched even if they aren't, so I wouldn't worry too much about it - if her UC claim results in a payment, and she doesn't get a letter (England or Wales), then she can phone the helpline and they should be able to match her as living at the address and qualifying due to the UC claim.  If you're in Scotland, she will just have to apply in the same way as everyone else when applications open.

I think the point about being named on the bill is just to make it less likely for the match between benefit claim and energy account (matched via home address) to be missed.

Gustygoat

Thanks for the reply. We're in Wales. We bit the bullet and called EDF yesterday to add estranged wife's name to the bill just in case. We had been expecting a long wait, but they answered within two minutes. Once account is brought back into the black, it will be replaced by one in her name only.