Warm home discount England/Wales only!

poppy123456
poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
Most of you will probably be aware that changes were made to this last year and a lot of people that qualified in previous years found out they didn't qualify last year, myself included. 

Although a lot of people that didn't realise they qualified in previous years or they just didn't claim it qualified last year. This didn't help those that missed out and needed that extra support with the high energy costs.

Today, i received a letter telling me that i qualify this year. Not understanding why i suddenly did this year and not last year i did some digging. I found out that the Government changed the criteria slightly for those that qualify through low Income and receive certain means tested benefits.

They have revised certain elements of the scheme criteria and lowered the threshold for a property considered as having high energy costs.

This i'm sure will be very welcome news for some many people struggling! You can see the amended details here from page 6 onwards. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1183969/warm-home-discount-eligibility-statement-2023.pdf

*Please note that this doesn't apply to those claiming Pension Credit because you will automatically qualify anyway.*

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Comments

  • JessieJ
    JessieJ Online Community Member Posts: 925 Trailblazing
    Thanks for putting that up, Poppy. 

    Because of the change, I didn't get it last year either, even though my energy company said I should qualify again & receive a letter, I didn't. Will be interesting to see if I get it this year. If not, I will ring the hotline this time.


  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    Think I've had it past two years, paid direct to the energy company. 
    Will watch for the letter this year.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    Think I've had it past two years, paid direct to the energy company. 
    Will watch for the letter this year.

    Assuming you live in either England or Wales, if you were entitled to it last year when the rules changed you should have received a letter.
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    Think I've had it past two years, paid direct to the energy company. 
    Will watch for the letter this year.

    Assuming you live in either England or Wales, if you were entitled to it last year when the rules changed you should have received a letter.
    Yes I just dont remember. Will be watching for the letter this year as sure I qualify.  
  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,812 Championing
       I had an email from my supplier OVO  on Tuesday saying I will get the warm home discount and it will be credited to my account by the 27th of October. 
  • kreacher
    kreacher Online Community Member Posts: 298 Empowering
    got a email today telling me i qualify, will get a voucher in post
  • 2oldcodgers
    2oldcodgers Posts: 739 Connected
    I received a text from EON on Monday telling me that I will be gettng the £150. This then appeared in our account with them on Tuesday. Very fast!
    Trouble is that on Friday my latest DD was collected (£189) taking the credit balance to just over £900 going into the winter period.

  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    No letter yet but on their site it says by early Jan 2024. Contact them if nothing by then. I just cant remember if I got it last year. I think so. Will contact elec supplier to see if they can help.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    No letter yet but on their site it says by early Jan 2024. Contact them if nothing by then. I just cant remember if I got it last year. I think so. Will contact elec supplier to see if they can help.
    You can check your energy account to see if you got it last year. There’s still plenty of time left for you to be contacted. They have until end of March to pay it. 
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    No letter yet but on their site it says by early Jan 2024. Contact them if nothing by then. I just cant remember if I got it last year. I think so. Will contact elec supplier to see if they can help.
    You can check your energy account to see if you got it last year. There’s still plenty of time left for you to be contacted. They have until end of March to pay it. 
    End of March, ok
    I was kind of hoping it was coming sooner to put towards heating oil but there you go. What its marked for when I do get it.
    Thanks Poppy 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited October 2023
    Bettahm said:
    Bettahm said:
    No letter yet but on their site it says by early Jan 2024. Contact them if nothing by then. I just cant remember if I got it last year. I think so. Will contact elec supplier to see if they can help.
    You can check your energy account to see if you got it last year. There’s still plenty of time left for you to be contacted. They have until end of March to pay it. 
    End of March, ok
    I was kind of hoping it was coming sooner to put towards heating oil but there you go. What its marked for when I do get it.
    Thanks Poppy 
    It’s not paid into your bank. It will be paid into your energy account. 

    Unless you have a prepayment meter and then it will be either vouchers or put straight onto your meter. 

    This is why I advised to check your energy account to see if you had it last year. 
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    Bettahm said:
    No letter yet but on their site it says by early Jan 2024. Contact them if nothing by then. I just cant remember if I got it last year. I think so. Will contact elec supplier to see if they can help.
    You can check your energy account to see if you got it last year. There’s still plenty of time left for you to be contacted. They have until end of March to pay it. 
    End of March, ok
    I was kind of hoping it was coming sooner to put towards heating oil but there you go. What its marked for when I do get it.
    Thanks Poppy 
    It’s not paid into your bank. It will be paid into your energy account. 

    Unless you have a prepayment meter and then it will be either vouchers or put straight onto your meter. 

    This is why I advised to check your energy account to see if you had it last year. 
    No not prepayment or smart. Just an ordinary one.
    I'll check my energy account then.
    Thanks
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,276 Championing
    Good to see they've made it slightly fairer this year.  The criteria still seems to be massively over-complicated though!  Don't think I'll be eligible as small flat around 20 years old.  (I no longer have the focus to read big chunks of text so just skimmed through that doc.)
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    Good to see they've made it slightly fairer this year.  The criteria still seems to be massively over-complicated though!  Don't think I'll be eligible as small flat around 20 years old.  (I no longer have the focus to read big chunks of text so just skimmed through that doc.)
    That doc was information overload here! No way I could take in all that.
    Think... they make them like that on purpose. Like insurance docs... my humble opinion 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    Good to see they've made it slightly fairer this year.  The criteria still seems to be massively over-complicated though!  Don't think I'll be eligible as small flat around 20 years old.  (I no longer have the focus to read big chunks of text so just skimmed through that doc.)
    That doc was information overload here! No way I could take in all that.
    Think... they make them like that on purpose. Like insurance docs... my humble opinion 
    That’s why I advised from page 6 onwards because it gives details of the changes made for this year. 
  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Online Community Member Posts: 2,564 Championing
    edited October 2023
    Nothing about "savings" in the document - purely income (£26,369 for a couple) - which we are WELL under.....
    Octopus haven't updated their criteria 

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Wibbles said:
    Nothing about "savings" in the document - purely income (£26,369 for a couple) - which we are WELL under.....
    Part of the criteria is you need to be claiming certain means tested benefits to be entitled to the Warm Home Discount.  See link https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/low-income-England-Wales
  • Bettahm
    Bettahm Online Community Member Posts: 1,441 Championing
    Bettahm said:
    Good to see they've made it slightly fairer this year.  The criteria still seems to be massively over-complicated though!  Don't think I'll be eligible as small flat around 20 years old.  (I no longer have the focus to read big chunks of text so just skimmed through that doc.)
    That doc was information overload here! No way I could take in all that.
    Think... they make them like that on purpose. Like insurance docs... my humble opinion 
    That’s why I advised from page 6 onwards because it gives details of the changes made for this year. 
    Still an overwhelming load there I couldn't get through or take in
  • jay_smyth
    jay_smyth Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    We always had the warm home discount but last year nothing and when I googled why and entered the property details it said we weren’t eligible really not fair how they can just change it when they want to
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    jay_smyth said:
    We always had the warm home discount but last year nothing and when I googled why and entered the property details it said we weren’t eligible really not fair how they can just change it when they want to
    I was the same last year. However as I advised when I posted the thread they have changed the criteria again meaning more people will be entitled this year.

    You will just wait to see if they contact you.