£150 Warm Home discount went to previous energy company, best way to deal ?

BensonBooga

So my elderly mother switched from Octopus to Fuse energy a month ago. She just found out that a few days ago the £150 warm home discount from the government went to Octopus. Is it down to Octopus to pass on the discount to Fuse, or does something else happen ? Thanks. 

pmduk

Somebody has reported, in a different thread , that as an ex-customer, their WHD was paid to their bank account by Octopus.

Spoonie_Turtle

As her supplier on the qualifying date it is Octopus' responsibility to get the money to her somehow.  The Ofgem page recommends contacting them to make sure they have up-to-date details - but since she only switched a month ago, and you don't mention moving house or anything, Octopus will almost certainly have her details still.  So I wouldn't worry unless it hasn't turned up in a reasonable timeframe; Octopus have been sending the WHDs out just recently so you can work out what you think is a reasonable length of time to wait and see if it comes through.

Muttleythefrog

I moved Octopus to Fuse. Octopus emailed to say £150 WHD. I emailed asked how they'd pay and they still had bank details and paid it quite quickly.

Octopus is ultimately responsible if on qualifying date they had their electricity supply with them. Fuse are uninvolved.

burn_everything

I have received a letter stating that I'm going to get the warm home discount, but it's been paid to the supplier I had on the 24th of August, which was Tomato Energy. I switched from Tomato Energy to Outfox Energy on the second of September this year, and now, just to complicate things, Tomato Energy went into administration last week. I have today contacted Tomato Energy, who are unable to give me any information on what is going to happen to the discount. I have also contacted the .Gov helpline number, who also can't give me any information on what's likely to happen to the discount.

Newcad

In the case of a supplier going bust then Ofgem will appoint a supplier, known as a 'Supplier of Last Resort' (SoLR), to take on their customers.

That SoLR may honour the gone-bust suppliers obligations to pay their customers the WHD, or they may not. 

See:https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/energy-suppliers

If your supplier is no longer trading

If the electricity supplier you were with stops trading, you may still be eligible for a Warm Home Discount. Ofgem will appoint your new supplier for you.

Check with your new supplier if you’re eligible for the discount.

However in your case you have already switched and so will not need a SoLR to be appointed for you.

All that you can do in your situation is to contact your current supplier and ask.
Outfox do take part in the WHD scheme so in the circumstances they may choose to honour it for you.

Spoonie_Turtle

Newcad said:

In the case of a supplier going bust then Ofgem will appoint a supplier, known as a 'Supplier of Last Resort' (SoLR), to take on their customers.

That SoLR may honour the gone-bust suppliers obligations to pay their customers the WHD, or they may not. 

See:https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/energy-suppliers

If your supplier is no longer trading

If the electricity supplier you were with stops trading, you may still be eligible for a Warm Home Discount. Ofgem will appoint your new supplier for you.

Check with your new supplier if you’re eligible for the discount.

However in your case you have already switched and so will not need a SoLR to be appointed for you.

All that you can do in your situation is to contact your current supplier and ask.
Outfox do take part in the WHD scheme so in the circumstances they may choose to honour it for you.

It's possible since the SOLR takes on certain obligations of the bust supplier, the WHD might be one of those obligations.

(British Gas is the SOLR for Tomato.)