BENEFITS EXPERT: Apply now to ensure you get Warm Home Discount award

As notice to readers this is the time of the year when the Warm Home Discount Scheme opens and it is advisable to make the application as soon as possible in order to make sure payment is received for your winter fuel bill.
make the application as soon as possible in order to make sure payment is received for your winter fuel bill.make the application as soon as possible in order to make sure payment is received for your winter fuel bill.
make the application as soon as possible in order to make sure payment is received for your winter fuel bill.

The are two groups of people who can claim, pensioners receiving the Guaranteed element of Pension Credit automatically qualify for the payment. If you have only recently started to get Guaranteed Pension Credit we would advise to call the Warm Home Discount Team on 0800 731 0214 to make sure your details are on the system.

For those customers not getting Guaranteed Pension Credit then you can potentially qualify under the Broad Scheme. This is a minimum requirement and some energy companies may actually extend the scope so always check with them.

The Benefit requirements are:

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In receipt of one of the following means-tested eligible benefits

Income Support

Income based Jobseekers’ Allowance

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (which includes a work-related activity or support component)

Universal Credit (low income elements)

Pensioner Premium or Higher Pensioner Premium or Enhanced Pensioner Premium

Limited Capability for work element with or without Work Related Activity element

And the benefit must include one of the following:

Child element for children aged 5 or under

Disabled child element

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Have a gross annual household income of less than £16,190 and at least one of the following applies:

The account holder is living with mental or physical disability or illness

The account holder is of pensionable age

There's a child living in the house aged 5 or under

You spend 10% or more of household income on energy bills to heat your property.

One issue that might cause a problem is for those people who might be waiting a medical assessment to qualify and due to COVID this hasn’t taken place. To date we are not aware if provision is in place to protect Warm Home applicants so our advice is to claim if you’re awaiting a medical assessment and let the energy provider know. If we get more information around this point then we will update readers.

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