BRITS can apply for extra help with their energy bills worth £140.
Anyone on a low income struggling with electricity costs can apply for the help now.
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Some energy companies have already opened the Warm Home Discount scheme and more are expected to follow in September.
You can register with some firms now to0 so you get an alert when the scheme opens with them.
The Warm Home Discount scheme will rise to £150, the government said last month, but no date has been set yet for the increase.
This winter the scheme will be worth £140 which could give hard-up Brits a helping hand as energy prices are expected to rise.
Here we explain what the scheme is, who’s eligible and how to apply.
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off payment of £140 that goes towards your heating costs.
It is usually paid directly to your energy supplier which will then apply the discount to your bills.
If you have a pre-payment meter, you’ll be sent a £140 voucher that you can use to top up your account.
The discount is applied between October and March and can also be used towards a gas bill if you have the same supplier for both gas and electricity.
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
There are two ways you can be eligible for the payment:
- If you get the guarantee credit element of pension credit you’ll be in what’s called the “core group”
- If you’re on a low income and meet your supplier’s criteria you’ll be in what’s referred to as the “broader group”.
If you’re in the core group of people who get the discount, on July 4, 2021, all of the following must have applied:
- Your energy supplier was part of the scheme
- Your name (or partner’s name) was on the bill
- You were getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit (even if you get savings credit as well)
You may be part of the broader group if you are on a low income and get certain means-tested benefits and your energy supplier is part of the scheme.
It’s up to each provider who gets the discount and each has different eligibility criteria.
You have to apply to them directly and they have a limited amount of people they can offer discounts too, so the earlier you apply the more chance you have of getting the discount.
How do I apply for the discount and which energy suppliers are part of the scheme?
For those in the core group getting pension credit, you should get a letter between October and December telling you how to get the discount if you qualify for it.
It will say if you need to call a helpline by February 28, 2022 to confirm your details.
The discount will be applied to your bill by March 31, 2022.
If you are part of the core group and don’t get a letter by December 31 this year you should contact the helpline on 0800 731 0214.
For those in the broader group applying directly, we’ve rounded up the energy companies who’ve opened their scheme for applications.
We’ve also listed which ones you can register with now to get alerts when the applications do open.
Applications open
Registration open
Not open yet
- Avro energy
- Pure Planet
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Shell Energy (including Green Star Energy)
- So Energy
- Spark
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