A WARNING has been issued for households to check their emails for a free £150 energy voucher or risk missing out.
The Warm Home Discount is available to those on the lowest incomes to help with rising costs.
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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 – worth £150 – between October and March 31.
But some customers have been left frustrated after being told they’re eligible and still waiting to receive the cash.
That was the case for one woman who was told to expect the discount and was left waiting for it to arrive.
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Posting on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group, she urged others to do the same or risk missing out.
She said: “I thought this may help some people if you were still waiting like me for the Warm Home Discount/Grant.
“I received a letter stating I was entitled to the Warm Home Grant of £150 again this year…Then nothing since…”
After contacting her supplier but not getting any further she decided to check her emails.
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The poster continued: “Which I did by Simply searching Warm Home Discount in my email search bar.
“Turns out my £150, paid in two separate £75 vouchers, has been there since the 13th Dec.”
Fellow billpayers flocked to the comments to say they were also still waiting, while others asked about the eligibility criteria for the government scheme.
One said: “What do you have to do to get it? And how do you know ur entitled to it please…”
Another wrote: “How do you find out if you will receive it or not?”
A third commented: “Joking I’ve been waiting ages for mine too! Thank you!!
“I found it thank you so much for sharing!! Couldn’t have come at a better time!!”
Several were also confused as to why the original poster received two vouchers instead of a discount or credit.
This is because she is on a prepayment meter and 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.
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is an automatic £150 discount off energy bills, and payments began this month.
As it is a discount, no money is paid to you.
You’ll need to be a recipient of one or more of the following benefits to qualify:
If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 13, 2022, you won’t be eligible for the payment.
When someone claims a qualifying benefit, the government will assess their energy costs based on the type, age and size of the property.
You may not be considered eligible for the Warm Home Discount if you live in a more energy-efficient property for instance, even if you receive a qualifying benefit.
This rule doesn’t apply to recipients of the guarantee credit portion of Pension Credit.
But you can challenge it by getting in touch with the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322.
How do I apply for the discount?
People living in England and Wales don’t need to apply for the Warm Home Discount.
You get the payment automatically if your electricity supplier is part of the scheme and you qualify.
Though energy regulator Ofgem says some people may be asked to contact a government helpline to confirm their eligibility.
The money won’t be paid to you directly – it’ll be added as credit to your electricity account. This usually happens between October and April.
Visit the Government website for more information.
How do I secure the discount in Scotland?
The Scottish Government has refused to renew their Warm Home Discount scheme in line with England and Wales’ new application-free scheme.
Households in Scotland will have to follow the rules set out in the legacy scheme.
This means they’ll likely still be a “core group” that’ll receive an automatic payment and a “broader group” who’ll have to apply for the scheme with their energy provider.
Meanwhile, a UK energy firm with 5.6million customers is giving thousands of its customers a £150 discount this winter.
Plus, millions of families can now claim benefits worth up to £1,248 per child online.
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