The Warm Home Discount Scheme: are you missing out on £140?
You could benefit from the expansion on the Warm Home Discount Scheme this year meaning there'll be no reason to fret about the rising cost of heating. We look at how not to miss out if you're eligible.
What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
The Warm Home Discount (WHD) Scheme is there to help support pensioners and those on low incomes afford their heating bills.
For 2015/16 the scheme offers a one-off £140 payment towards your electricity bill, there is no cash substitute.
It was introduced in 2011 and is funded by energy supplies including: Atlantic, British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Equipower, Equigas, Manweb, M&S Energy, npower, Sainsbury's Energy, Scottish Gas, Scottish Hydro, Scottish Power, Southern Electric, SSE, Swalec and Utility Warehouse.
What has changed?
This winter the scheme has been extended to include a further 200,000 pensioners.
The scheme will now include anyone who receives Pension Credit Guarantee (Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income if it's below £151.20 (for single people) or £230.85 (for couples)) and those who qualify for a Savings Credit. For further details on Pension and Savings Credit you can visit the GOV.UK website.
However, the DWP predict that of the 1.7 m pensioners able to take the discount only 1.4 m are likely to do so.
Age UK claim that there will still be hundreds of thousands of pensioners who will still miss out on the discount, with up to a third of those actually eligible for the scheme.
Make sure you don't miss out
If you're eligible you should receive a letter in the post confirming your discount, but you don't have to sit back and wait for a letter to arrive if you think you deserve the discount.
You should contact the Warm Home Discount Team who are in charge of implementing the scheme discount to those who are eligible. You can use the following details to contact them:
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Telephone:
0345 603 9439
(Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm)
Post:
Warm Home Discount Team
Pink Zone, 1st Floor
Peel Park
Brunel Way
Blackpool
FY4 5ES
For more information on the Warm Home Discount Scheme you can visit the GOV.UK website.
Don't be one of the predicted third of all eligible people who miss out on your Warm Home Discount this year. Pick up the phone and ask. The worst case scenario is that you'll know whether you can save £140 or not.