[Boncobill]

Hi,

I have a couple of ongoing questioms and having no luck on Twitter.

Thanks

M

[retrotecchie]

@Boncobill

Fire away and we'll see if we can offer any insight.

[Boncobill]

Thanks for the reply buddy but it's partially a kind of a duplicate post about a query I made on another thread for the attention of CS.

One question was about the 'Warm Home Discount' scheme.

I was wondering when it would be processed as I thpught I'd qualify perhaps. I've heard nothing from Eonnext.

Thanks in advance.

[meldrewreborn]

@Boncobill

This is not normally an alternative way of accessing CS. In extreme cases we call them in but normally CS wouldn't even be aware.

WHD Payments will be made within the next 3 months - but there is no published information of who will definitely get it unless they're in receipt of the non savings part of pension credit.

Patience is required I'm afraid. One thing is certain, a great many more families will get the help this time, but some who used to get it will miss out.

[retrotecchie]

Originally Posted by Boncobill

Thanks for the reply buddy but it's partially a kind of a duplicate post about a query I made on another thread for the attention of CS.

One question was about the 'Warm Home Discount' scheme.

I was wondering when it would be processed as I thpught I'd qualify perhaps. I've heard nothing from Eonnext.

Thanks in advance.

If you have had your letter from the DWP saying you are eligible AND you get the Guaranteed Credit Element of Pension Credit, you will automatically receive the discount by 31/3/23.

If you have had the letter from DWP confirming you are eligible on any other grounds, your property will also need to be a 'high heat cost home'. That is assessed by the Valuation Office Agency. If both agencies confirm you are eligible, that information is then passed on to your energy supplier who, again, will apply the discount by 31/3/23.

[Boncobill]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

@Boncobill

This is not normally an alternative way of accessing CS. In extreme cases we call them in but normally CS wouldn't even be aware.

WHD Payments will be made within the next 3 months - but there is no published information of who will definitely get it unless they're in receipt of the non savings part of pension credit.

Patience is required I'm afraid. One thing is certain, a great many more families will get the help this time, but some who used to get it will miss out.

Thank you for the excellent reply.

I have lodged a formal complaint via Twitter with CS.

I have had someone from CS attend to a query on here before, but as you allude, that's unusual.

Thanks

[Boncobill]

Originally Posted by retrotecchie

If you have had your letter from the DWP saying you are eligible AND you get the Guaranteed Credit Element of Pension Credit, you will automatically receive the discount by 31/3/23.

If you have had the letter from DWP confirming you are eligible on any other grounds, your property will also need to be a 'high heat cost home'. That is assessed by the Valuation Office Agency. If both agencies confirm you are eligible, that information is then passed on to your energy supplier who, again, will apply the discount by 31/3/23.

Thanks again for the information.

I seem to recall it was much more straightforward last year. I just applied via the Eonext website and it was credited to my account.

I think I read people are automatically applied for it 8f they qualified last year, on the website.

Thanks buddy.

[retrotecchie]

@Boncobill

No, last year and years prior was a completely different system that you applied for if you were in receipt of disability benefits and it was paid for by HMG. My other half qualified last year on grounds of disability payments and had to apply. This year her disability benefits do not qualify, however her ESA and Housing Benefit do.

But we'll only get the discount if our property qualifies as a High heat cost home...which it possibly will as it is a detached property, built before 1900 of solid stone and not on the mains gas grid and right on the Atlantic coast 1000ft above sea level. If it was a two bedroom semi, built after 1990, in a sheltered urban area on the mains gas, it probably wouldn't.

Had they called the scheme something different to avoid confusion, it would have been easier.

I would also like to reiterate that if you do get the discount, it is really only worth £130. You have already had your bill increased by £20 by the increase in standing charges, so once the discount is applied, the net result is only the £130. Most of the customers who won't get the discount still have to pay that extra £20 on their bills too, so for everyone who gets the 'discount', six and a half other people have had to pay for it out of their own pockets.

[meldrewreborn]

@retrotecchie

I think that the old scheme was also paid for by other customers but it was much smaller and less expensive. Some smaller companies didn’t pay it all and whether there was entitlement to WHD was a factor in switching because those eligible would not want to go to a company not running the scheme.
I think the criteria have been tightened this time but some very small suppliers may still not pay up

[retrotecchie]

@meldrewreborn

I think the requirement is pro rata based on the number of customers so a company with a million customers will allocate twice as many discounts as a company with five hundred thousand. Subject to a minimum number of customers. From what I recall from previous years the number of customers overall who received the discount was around the 200,000 mark and this year it's purported to be around 700,000 mark.