AIBU to think SSE are taking the piss about Warm Front Discount?

[comicsands]

I'm eligible for a Warm Front Discount which is supposed to be £140 off my winter electricity bill. I get this because I am disabled and have dependent children and although I work I earn less than £16000. I applied for the discount in October. I didn't get notified that I was going to get it so after my January bill I rang SSE in February to ask if I would be getting it. They said yes and that it would be applied to my next bill. I'm already thinking well the next bill isn't the winter bill but ok.

On Saturday I got my latest bill showing that the £140 was credited in January - this wasn't applied to the February bill. It's been applied to the May bill but only in that it reduces my direct debit.

I have already paid for the electricity for winter via direct debit. This warm front payment was supposed to be for the winter bill which I have paid. It is not supposed to go towards paying future fuel throughout the year. AIBU to ask for a cash payment back into my bank account and how do I do this?

Sorry - I rang them after my February bill

And I am now £190 in credit.

If you are in credit on your account you can request a refund at anytime, just call or do an online chat

I've had the devil's own job getting credit back previously from energy companies. Is it really that easy now?

It's pissing me off because they've had that money from the government for at least four months now - probably longer because as I say I had to apply in October when I got notified - and in the meantime I've been paying out and I still haven't got it back.

With direct debits you pay for your annual usage split into 12 payments, which should even out over the year so you'll pay more than you use in summer and less in the winter. So although you've been paying your DD, this should even out over the year, and these warm homes discount payments are typically non-refundable (I used to work for an energy company).

If you push them they absolutely have to refund it but expect some push back!
Also be mindful that if your direct debit reduces you may end up with a shortfall if they've already built that £140 into the calculation, so don't be surprised if they want to up your payments at the same time :(

I’ve done it twice in the last two years, not because of government credit, I just set my direct debit higher than needed just in case. Each time has been a simple call saying I’m in credit, can I have a refund. I’m saying online chat now only because of maybe limited staff working from home maybe easier

But if you are in credit they are legally bound to refund you if you ask. They won’t offer as they will be gaining interest on any cash they have in the bank

@startalovetrain I absolutely don't want them to reduce my direct debit - they've reduced it to £3 a month!!! Which is ridiculous because as you say I'll end up owing them. What I am fucked off about is that this is supposed to be for winter bills but because they've sat on it for a third at least of a year (earning interest on it and all the other warm front funds) it now isn't, and I've paid my bloody winter bills. Why couldn't they just have docked it off the direct debit for the months ie winter it was supposed to cover?

You can get a refund and also state what you wish to pay by dd monthly. You don’t have to pay a lower amount, that is just their “recommendation”

We are on pre payment meters so it is slightly different to a DD, but if you have paid the winter bill and you are happy that your employment is safe then yes I would ask for the money back.

We got ours late as well (about the start of March) and to be honest at the moment its a relief that its one less bill we have had to worry about

YABU. If you read the terms of the warm front discount you will see that all the companies normally pay it in March.

I've no idea where the money comes from or if it is government funded or not.

Lol what terms? It's a government funded scheme, it's on the gov.uk website. Does it not say that in the terms you saw? Gov.uk says it's a payment towards winter fuel. It's June next week!

@comicsands I can’t be bothered to go and read government regulations right now although I understand they will refund you for winter coverage of heating (ie after the event). You would never be left without as worse case scenario you would go into debt rather than the credit you are now in due to this

In any case you have the money so get a refund now, you’ve been given advice on how

I commend you on your effort targeting. Have you changed names btw?

Confused, is that aimed at me, I don’t understand?

Oh I get it, because I responded to your response to a previous poster we must be the same person 😂

God OP I’ve only given you helpful advice, but you’re getting a little too much now. I wanted genuinely to help you, but I’m going to step away now!!

I cant imagine why you think they are keeping the money to earn interest. Interest rates are essentially zero (if not lower).

It is a discount for your gas bill for the period of September to March which means that for most people it is applied to their bills at the end of March, I know that is when Scottish Power credits it.

Electricity bill even.

I'm with BG, and use *MSE to get the best rate. My rates went down in Oct and again in Feb. I am billed a combined bill on the 19th in Oct, Jan , Apr and July. No WHD had been applied in Jan to my account. But my bill wasn't done until Feb, when the readings were different dates for the gas and elec. Maybe the funding was late this year and that explains the difference in dates.

My dd has been reduced, but I could have asked online for a refund had I wanted one. I'm just happy it reduces my bill, and in a cold winter gives me extra money for heating. In previous years I've had a refund at the end of my plan.

*Money Saving Expert. I had a call from Octopus offering me s better deal, but when they checked my rates they couldn't. The MSE deals aren't available direct with the companies