Warm Home Discount Scheme change - it's automatically credited this year

[PunishmentRoundupWithJoon]

According to British Gas, my supplier, there's no need to apply for the Warm Home Discount scheme this year as all those eligible will have the discount credited to their accounts by the government. I've always had to apply for the WHD in previous years, even when my circumstances hadn't changed.

Has anyone else tried to apply and been told this? I'm not sure I trust the government!

Yep, it's correct.

You should get a letter between now and January if you're eligible. They've changed the criteria so that they take into account whether you have ‘high energy costs’, using info about your property (size, age, cost to heat, and possibly EPC) from the VOA as well as benefits criteria.

If you're in Scotland, the scheme hasn't changed - the broader group will still have to apply this year.

www.edfenergy.com/for-home/help-centre/faq/whd-england-and-wales

Sorry - wrong link!

www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/low-income

www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/guarantee-pension-credit

Was going to say I had to apply but I see NewBoots has that covered as am in Scotland.

Thanks, @NewBootsAndRanty - am finding it a bit confusing. And it's reduced this year, used to be £300, now it's £150. They give with one hand and take with the other!

The info did say means tested benefits, which I'm on at the moment, so fingers crossed I receive a letter...

Have you had £300 previously? I’ve had the discount for years now and this years £150 is the highest it’s been for me.

The warm home discount has been £140 up to this year... are you sure you don't mean a winter fuel payment or similar?

@NewBootsAndRanty and @ThatsRoughBuddy - yes, you're right, not sure what I was thinking there. It was indeed £140 - am getting confused with something else - am all over the place with finances at the moment!

Does anyone know the criteria for if "your property has a high energy cost score"?! I can't find any info on how this is calculated

www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-home-discount-eligibility-statement-england-and-wales/warm-home-discount-eligibility-statement-england-and-wales#high-energy-cost-threshold

"The high-cost threshold will determine whether a domestic property is considered as having high energy costs, based on their modelled energy cost score. BEIS models the energy costs of domestic properties in England and Wales by applying an algorithm to 3 characteristics of each property.

These 3 property characteristics are:

type
age
floor area
Properties will be ranked according to their modelled energy cost score and then matched to DWP benefits records to determine those that are low income. This list of low-income households will then be ranked by their modelled energy cost score, and a threshold is then set as the cut-off point. The threshold will be a specific energy cost score. Domestic properties with an energy cost score above or equal to the threshold would be eligible, while those below the threshold would not. The value of the energy cost score is not directly equivalent to current energy bills; its primary use is to distinguish relatively between higher and lower energy cost homes."

Jeez…so absolutely no way of working that out for yourself then? Or is it just me 🤯🤯

I have no chuffing clue how to work out if I'm eligible under the heating costs thing - it's clear as mud.

Yeah that is ridiculous…I guess we all just wait and see, and won’t be able to challenge it if we don’t get it because how the hell we meant to be able to tell from all that info if we are eligible or not! Nuts!!

British Gas's WHD page says
"If you get turned down for the scheme, we can’t help you appeal because it’s decided by the Government. If you live in England and Wales and want to appeal a decision you’ll need to visit the Government’s dedicated Warm Home Discount website."

I need to re-read as to whether they write to you to say you're not eligible....

In case this is useful to anyone who doesn't want to wait for a letter, I've just seen this on Haringey council's website:

"To find out whether you qualify, you can call the government Warm Home Discount phone line on 0800 731 0214 between 14 November 2022 and 31 March 2023."

www.haringey.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/helping-you-stay-warm-and-well

Pleasantly surprised to get a letter this morning saying I qualified for the scheme (low income) - I was fully expecting not to.