Exact date on which low-income households must claim a 150 euro discount on their energy bill
THOUSANDS of households must claim £150 free cash next week or risk missing out.
The money comes in the form of the Warm House Discount, a one-off deduction on your energy bill that you incur in the winter.
It is available to people on the lowest incomes to help with rising costs.
Energy suppliers automatically distribute the discount between October and March 31.
In the vast majority of cases this happens automatically, but thousands of households have to actually apply for the discount because of the way the scheme works.
The deadline for this is February 29, which means you only have 11 days left to register.
Matt Copeland, head of policy at fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA), previously described the cash boost as “vital”.
He said: “With no additional energy bill support coming from the government this winter, it is vital that all eligible households apply for the Warm Home Discount before the deadline.”
Below we show who may need to apply for the discount, what it is and who is eligible.
Who must apply for the Warm Home Discount before February 29?
While a total of approximately 3 million people will be eligible for the Warm Home Discount this winter, thousands of people will need to apply for the payment.
This is based on figures from the NEA which showed that 300,000 eligible low-income households missed out on the £150 rebate during the previous payment period.
Households eligible for the scheme must have received a letter between October last year and early January this year.
Are you missing out on benefits?
You can use a benefit calculator to check whether you are not missing out on money you are entitled to.
Charity The Turn2Us benefits calculator figuring out what you could get.
Entitlement is free calculator calculates whether you are eligible for various benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefit tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use The Policy in Practice calculator to find out not only what benefits you can receive, but also to find out how much money you have left every month after paying your housing costs.
Exactly what you are entitled to will not become clear until you make a claim, but calculators can give you an indication of what you may be eligible for.
The letters tell recipients whether they qualify for the scheme, or whether they are eligible but need to provide more information.
If you are among those who need to provide more information, you should call the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline on 0800 030 9322 before February 29.
The type of personal information that may be required from you includes a utility bill in your name or a tax credit certificate for the current tax year.
This must show what your income is and how many adults and children you include in your assessment.
You may also be required to provide proof of receipt of the benefit.
Do you think you qualify for the Warm Home Discount and have you not yet received a letter? Then you may also have to submit an application.
The government has a tool on its website that can help you find out if you qualify.
Park Homes residents who can apply for the Park Homes Warm Home Discount must do so no later than February 29.
These households must submit an application on the Charis Grants website.
Scottish households with a guarantee element of a pension credit should automatically receive the Warm Home rebate.
All others who qualify must apply through their energy supplier.
In this case, the February 29 deadline does not apply, but you should still apply as soon as possible to avoid missing a payment.
How do you get the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is distributed differently depending on how you pay for your energy consumption.
If you pay by direct debit or after receipt of your invoice, the Warm Home Discount will be credited to your electricity bill.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter, your energy company will send you a voucher that allows you to top up your meter and apply the €150 credit.
Some companies, such as Octopus and Utitita, will instead send two £75 vouchers, usually spread out but sometimes closer together.
Do you have a smart prepayment meter? Your supplier will then immediately send the discount as a credit to your meter.
It's worth checking your emails if you're still waiting for the Warm Home Discount. If not, you don't have to worry, because energy suppliers have until March 31 to pay the money in cash.
If you have a smart prepayment meter, Scottish Power will send the rebate directly to your meter as a credit.
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
To be eligible for the Warm Home Discount you must receive one of the following benefits.
If you did not claim any of the above benefits by August 13, 2023, you are not eligible.
However, if you later successfully file a claim for retroactive benefits, you may still be eligible after this date.
If you claim one of the premiums, the government assesses your energy costs based on the type, age and size of your home.
For example, you may not qualify if you live in a more energy efficient property, even if you receive a qualifying benefit.
However, this rule does not apply to recipients of the guaranteed credit portion of the Pension Credit.
What other energy bill help is there?
If you are not eligible for the Warm House Discount, you may be able to get help through the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The latest round of funding is worth £842 million and has been shared between councils in England.
They then decide how to divide their portion.
But what you are entitled to depends on where you live, as each local authority sets its own eligibility criteria.
In the vast majority of cases, you are eligible if you are on benefits, have a low income or are struggling financially.
You should contact your local council to see if assistance is offered. You can find out which local authority area you fall under by using the government's online council finder.
You may also be able to claim a free subsidy from your energy company if you are struggling to pay.
British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF are among the major companies offering help.
In the meantime, it's worth checking if you qualify for benefits, as they could be worth thousands of pounds more per year.
You can check whether you may be eligible for benefits by using some free online calculators:
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Brits have just two weeks to qualify for £299 living expenses and unlock benefits worth £3,900.
Plus, another major bank is giving away £200 in free cash to customers who make an easy switch.
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