MILLIONS of households should launch claims for benefits now to guarantee their eligibility for energy bill help this winter.
Those on certain benefits will be able to get an energy bill discount through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
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Those eligible for the scheme will get £150 off their energy bills this winter. In previous years, households received a £140 discount.
You no longer need to apply for the discount directly, as you’ll automatically qualify if you are getting certain benefits.
Households are expected to be claiming one of the qualifying benefits below by the August 21 to get the £150 discount:
If you meet the qualifying criteria on this date, you’ll be in line for £150 off your energy bills between October and March 2023.
However, if you don’t qualify for benefits in time, you’ll still be able to qualify if a later claim is successful and you can backdate your allowance.
The help will come in handy as some energy bills are predicted to hit £4,000 on average from October.
But with millions missing out on £13 billion of unclaimed benefits now’s the time to act.
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Which benefits can I backdate?
When looking at the benefits which you can freshly apply for right now – five give you the ability to backdate your allowance.
You should be able to backdate your qualifying benefit by up to three months.
Employment and support allowance, jobseeker’s allowance, pension credit, housing benefit and Universal Credit all allow first time claimants to backdate their benefit entitlement.
When’s the deadline to put in my claim to qualify?
If you don’t qualify for the Warm Home Discount by August 21, don’t worry.
You should be able to qualify for the scheme if you later make a successful claim for benefits within three months.
How long you’ll have to put in a claim will depend on the benefit you’re launching a claim for.
You’ll need to put in a successful claim by Friday November 18 for the following benefits, which can be backdated by three months:
- Employment and support allowance
- Jobseeker’s allowance
- Pension credit guaranteed
- Pension credit savings credit
And if you don’t qualify for the above but do launch claims for housing benefit or Universal Credit, you’ll be able to backdate these by one month.
You’ll need to launch your claim by Monday September 19 to be able to backdate these two benefits to take you back to the August 21 Warm Home Discount qualifying date.
How do I secure the discount?
If you’re in receipt of the benefits listed above, you won’t have to apply.
You’ll receive the rebate automatically and your energy firm will discount it from your bill.
You’ll receive a letter in October notifying you that’ll you’ll be eligible for the discount.
If you’re unsure if you’re eligible or if your letter tells you to speak to the DWP you can call a their helpline which’ll be published online at a later date.
Will other help be available?
Energy suppliers are also offering cash grants to those hardest hit by bill rises.
For instance British Gas is giving out up to £750 through its hardship fund.
But the amount can vary according to your supplier and your circumstances.
Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply, or check here:
Cold weather payments up £25 a day are also on offer when temperatures plummet below zero for households on low incomes.
The payment is made automatically, including to those on Universal Credit, for each seven day period of low temperatures between November 1 and March 31.
Anyone getting the state pension should also get winter fuel payments worth £100s. Winter fuel payments are a tax-free payment that comes from the government each year and is worth between £100 and £300.
