Warm Home Discount
Your electricity supplier may have signed up to the Warm Homes Discount Scheme which offers a one-off discount of £140 (for the Winter period 2016-2017) from your electricity bill.
Who qualifies for the Warm Home Discount?
In 2016-2017, you can qualify for a warm home discount if on 10 July 2016:
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your supplier was part of the scheme, and
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you or your partner's name was on the bill, and
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you fit into either the:
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Core group: If you are receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you also get the Savings Credit) you should be automatically considered for the Warm Home Discount. The Government should write to you in Autumn or Winter 2016.
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Broader group: The criteria for inclusion depends on the supplier but you may be eligible if you are in receipt of certain benefits; your annual income is below a certain amount and you are spending more than 10% of it on fuel; or you have a disability or illness. You will have to claim if you fit into the broader group, so contact your supplier for more information.
How is the Warm Home Discount paid?
If you qualify, the Warm Home Discount will appear as a credit on your electricity bill sometime between October 2016 and March 2017. If you use a pre-pay or 'pay as you go' electricity meter, it may be paid to you through a top-up voucher but check with your supplier.
Please note: if you apply for a Warm Home Discount but then change your supplier before this has been credited to your account, you will no longer be eligible to receive the discount from your original supplier. You will have to make an application to your new supplier.
The Warm Home Discount and effect on other benefits that help with energy costs
Getting the Warm Home Discount does not affect your eligibility for Cold Weather Payments or Winter Fuel Payments.
More information on the Warm Home Discount
See the Gov.UK website information on the Warm Home Discount. This includes a list of suppliers that have signed up to the initiative with links to their websites.