The seven key dates you need to know as millions set to get £150 bill discount to help heat homes this winter
MILLIONS of pensioners can get £150 to cover the cost of energy bills over the winter – but there are some key dates you need to know about.
The Warm Home Discount (WHD) is a reduction on your electricity, and sometimes gas, applied by energy firms once a year.
Between now and December, the Government will issue letters to households that are eligible for the scheme.
The discount will be applied to energy bills over the winter by your energy firm.
The eligibility requirements for the Warm Home Discount are the same as last year, which we explain below.
You can get the help regardless of who supplies your energy, as long as you are eligible for the scheme and your firm is signed up.
If you think you might qualify for the WHD this year, there are a few dates to keep track of.
It’s important to make a note of these dates so you can plan out your finances and report any issues to your supplier.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the dates so you know what’s what.
Qualifying date – August 11
To qualify for the help, you need to have been in receipt of the guaranteed credit element of Pension Credit or a different qualifying benefit from the list below on August 11:
- Income support
- Income based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income related employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Universal Credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credits
- The “savings credit” part of Pension Credit
If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 11, 2024, you won’t be eligible for the rebate.
But, if your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may become eligible for a discount.
Helpline opens – October 14
The WHD helpline opens for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 customers in England and Wales.
The WHD helpline can be reached at 0800 030 9322.
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, which shows your income and the number of adults and children included in your assessment.
You may also have to provide proof of receipt of benefits.
Letters go out – between October and December
If you qualify for the WHD, you’ll receive a letter from your energy firm soon.
They’ll be dished out between October and December so keep your eyes peeled.
The letter will confirm if you are eligible for an automatic rebate or advise you to call a helpline to check if you are eligible.
Deadline to backdate Pension Credit – November 10
The August 11 qualifying date does not apply if you are receiving the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit.
This is because you can backdate Pension Credit claims by up to three months.
But, that does mean you will have to launch your Pension Credit claim by the end of Sunday, November 10.
Then, you’ll need to successfully backdate it to cover the August 11 date. If you fail to do this, you’ll miss out on the £150 discount this year.
Pension Credit explained
Pension Credit is a benefit which gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re on a low income in retirement.
It can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
You may be able to get extra help of you’re a carer, have a disability, or are responsible for a child.
It also opens up access to lots of other benefits such as the warm home discount scheme, support for mortgage interest, council tax discounts, free TV licences once you’re over 75, and help with NHS costs.
To qualify, you need to be over state pension age and live in England, Scotland or Wales.
If you have a partner, you need to include them on your claim.
Pension Credit tops up:
- your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single
- your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner
However, even if your income is higher, you might still qualify if you have a disability or caring responsibilities.
There is also another element to Pension Credit called savings credit. To get this, you need to have saved some money towards your retirement.
You can get an extra £17.01 a week for a single person or £19.04 a week for a married couple.
If you have more than £10,000 in savings, the government uses a calculation to work out how much it adds to your income.
Every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.
When you need to act – January 2025
You should have received a letter to let you know if you can get the help by January.
If you still haven’t been notified and think you should be eligible then make sure you check the Government website gov.uk for more information.
Failing that, contact the above helpline for support.
Helpline shuts – February 28
February 28 is the deadline to contact the WHD helpline if you’re advised to get in touch in your letter.
Please contact the helpline included in your letter before this date if you’re eligible to make sure you don’t miss out on the payment.
All discounts must be applied – March 31
Energy firms have until the end of March next year to dish out the discounts to their eligible customers.
The £150 will be taken off your bill or given to you in voucher form between October and that date.
EDF Energy, which has around 5.22million customers, has said that it will aim to pay the discount by the end of February 28, 2025 at the latest.
And British Gas, the UK’s biggest supplier with 7million billpayers, has also confirmed that it will making the payments.
If you pay by direct debit or on receipt of your bill, the £150 Warm Home Discount will be added to your electricity account as a credit.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter, your firm will send you a voucher you can use to top up your meter at your nearest Paypoint kiosk.
You can find your closest one by visiting consumer.paypoint.com/cashout.
What energy bill help is available?
THERE'S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.