THOUSANDS of households must claim £150 free cash within the next few hours or risk missing out.
The cash comes in the form of the Warm Home Discount, a one-off deduction off your energy bill made during the winter
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It’s available to those on the lowest incomes to help with rising costs.
Energy suppliers automatically dish out the discount between October and March 31.
In the vast majority of cases, it’s automatic, but thousands of households have to actually apply for the rebate, due to the way the scheme works.
The deadline to do this is tomorrow February 29, which means there are just 11 days left to apply.
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That means if you need to apply, you should do it sooner rather than later.
Matt Copeland, head of policy at fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA), previously told The Sun it is “vital” that households apply.
Andy Kerr, founder of boiler company BOXT, said: “Many people will be struggling with the cost of living and with energy prices at an all-time high, people may be finding themselves unable to pay their energy bills.
“If you are struggling, remember there is help at hand. There are a number of grants and schemes available, with varying eligibility criteria, including the Warm Home Discount.”
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Below we reveal who might need to apply for the discount, what it is and who is eligible.
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Who has to apply for the Warm Home Discount by February 29?
While around three million people in total qualify for the Warm Home Discount this winter, thousands need to apply for the payment.
This is based on figures from the NEA which revealed 300,000 eligible low-income households missed out on the £150 rebate during the previous payment window.
Households who are eligible for the scheme should have received a letter between October last year and early January this year.
The letters tell recipients if they’re eligible for the scheme or whether they qualify but need to give more information.
If you’re among those who need to give more information, you have to call the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline on 0800 030 9322 before February 29.
The type of personal information that might be required from you includes an energy bill in your name or a tax credit certificate for the current tax year.
This needs to show your income and the number of adults and children included in your assessment.
You may also have to provide proof of receipt of benefits.
If you think you qualify for the Warm Home Discount and haven’t yet received a letter, then you too may need to apply.
The government has a tool on its website which you can use to find out if you qualify.
Park home residents, who can apply for the Park Homes Warm Home Discount have to do so by February 29.
These households need to apply on the Charis Grants website.
Scottish households on the Guarantee element of Pension Credit should get the Warm Home Discount automatically.
Everyone else who qualifies has to apply via 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.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help you check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to.
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator works out whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to not only find out which benefits you could receive but also to find out how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can give you an indication of what you might be eligible for.
How do you get the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is distributed differently depending on how you pay for your energy use.
If you pay by direct debit or on receipt of your bill the Warm Home Discount will be added to your electricity account as a credit.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter, your energy firm will send you a voucher you can use to top up your meter and apply the £150 credit.
Some firms, such as Octopus and Utitita send two £75 vouchers instead, usually spread out but sometimes closer to one another.
If you’ve got a smart prepayment meter, your supplier will send the discount directly to your meter as a credit.
It’s worth having a look through your emails if you’re still waiting on the Warm Home Discount, if not don’t worry because energy providers have until March 31 to pay the cash.
If you’ve got a smart prepayment meter, Scottish Power will send the discount directly to your meter as a credit.
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
You have to be in receipt of one of the following benefits to qualify for the Warm Home Discount.
- Income support
- Income based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income related employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Universal credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credits
- Pension credit guaranteed
- Pension credit savings credit
If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 13, 2023, you won’t be eligible.
However, if you later launch a successful claim for backdated benefits, you may still be able to qualify after this date.
If you claim one of the qualifying benefits, the government assesses your energy costs based on the type, age and size of your property.
For example, you may not be considered eligible if you live in a more energy-efficient property, even if you receive a qualifying benefit.
However, this rule doesn’t apply to recipients of the guarantee credit portion of Pension Credit.
What other energy bill help is there?
If you don’t qualify for the Warm Home Discount, you might be able to get help via the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The latest round of funding is worth £842million and has been shared between councils in England.
They then decide how to distribute their portion.
But what you are entitled to varies on where you live as each local authority sets its own eligibility criteria.
In the vast majority of cases, you will qualify if you are on benefits or a low income, or struggling financially.
You should approach your council to see if any help is on offer. You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool online.
You might also be able to claim a free grant from your energy firm if you’re struggling to make payments.
British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF are some of the major companies that offer help.
Meanwhile, it’s worth checking if you’re eligible for benefits, as it could be worth thousands of pounds more a year.
You can check if you might qualify for benefits by using a number of free online calculators:
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Brits have just under a week to qualify for £299 in cost of living cash and unlock benefits worth £3,900.
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Plus, The Chancellor will deliver the government’s Spring Budget next week, we reveal what could be announced.
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