The Warm Home Discount scheme reopened on November 15 - but the way you get it has completely changed this year.
The money, which is paid to households on certain benefits to help with their heating costs, used to be paid on a first-come, first-served basis, leading to a scramble every year when the scheme opened. This year, you won't be able to apply for it as you should get it automatically.
You’ll receive a letter between now and the end of January next year telling you about the discount if you’re eligible, but if you can't wait until then, you can also check if you're eligible by using the Government's online eligibility checker, which will ask you to answer some questions about your electricity supply, the benefits you receive and the characteristics of your property. You'll then be told if your home meets the high energy cost criteria.
Read more: Charities fear for 500,000 households who will no longer get Warm Home Discount
Prior to this year, the scheme paid £140 to vulnerable people if they applied to their energy company and if there were still funds left. This year, the payment will increase to £150 but only but only those with high energy costs who claim a qualifying means-tested benefit will receive it.
Everyone who receives a letter will either be told that they will receive the payment automatically and therefore don't need to do anything, or that they need to call a dedicated helpline to provide further evidence of eligibility. Payments will be made automatically through energy suppliers by March 31, 2023.
If you think you're eligible but don't receive the letter by mid-January, you can also contact a Government helpline before February 28 on 0800 107 8002.
Under the new rules, those in receipt of the guaranteed element of pension credit will continue to get the Warm Home Discount, but those with disabilities, who only claim personal independence payments, attendance allowance, or disability living allowance, which are not means-tested, will no longer get it - impacting 290,000 existing claimants.
The full list of who will get the money this year is:
Eligible for winter 2022/23
- Child tax credits and working tax credits
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance
- Income support
- Pension credit guarantee credit
- Pension credit savings credit
- Universal credit
No longer automatically eligible for winter 2022/23
- Attendance allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payment
The money is not paid as cash, but as a rebate on your energy bill. All suppliers with more than 50,000 domestic customers have to offer the scheme. This year, the following suppliers are obligated to offer the discount:
- British Gas
- Bulb Energy
- E (Gas and Electricity)
- E.ON
- Ecotricity
- EDF Energy
- So Energy Outfox the Market
- Good Energy
- Octopus Energy
- OVO Energy
- Scottish Power
- Shell Energy
- Utility Warehouse
- Utilita
Customers on a direct debit are credited the amount of the rebate to their electricity account or if requested by a customer, to their gas account. You still qualify for the discount if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter and your electricity supplier can tell you how you'll get the discount if you're eligible.
A spokesperson for the department for business, energy and industrial strategy ( BEIS ) said earlier this year: "Our reforms to the Warm Home Discount scheme will prioritise those households who are most likely to struggle to heat their homes. It is a fuel poverty scheme and we are increasing both the number and amount of fuel poor households that can benefit from it."
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