The government has issued a plea to consumers to check their eligibility and apply for the Warm Home Discount before next month’s deadline.
While the majority of the more than 3 million eligible households across Great Britain will receive the £150 energy bill discount automatically, some customers in England and Wales have been sent a letter by government which asks them to call a special helpline by 29 February so they can check their eligibility and get the support.
Those eligible for the discount include low income pensioners and households with high energy costs. At the end of last year these customers received the letter which explained the discount and instructions on any action they may need to take.
“In Scotland, customers on low incomes who have not received a letter may still be eligible and should apply via a different route, by contacting their energy supplier as soon as possible,” the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said.
The support comes on top of wider action to protect vulnerable households, including a £900 payment for those on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioner households and an extra £150 available for those on disability benefits.
Speaking during Big Energy Saving Week Amanda Solloway, minister for affordability and skills, said: “We will always act to support the most vulnerable – and this means making sure those most in need are getting the right support.
“Today, I am urging people on low incomes who have been notified about the Warm Home Discount to make sure they act now to get £150 off their energy bill.
“Please check your letter and call our helpline before the end of February if you need to provide more information.”
Last year charity National Energy Action (NEA) expressed concerns about eligible households missing out on support, saying that complex changes to the Warm Home Discount scheme in 2022 meant around 500,000 vulnerable people who were previously eligible, could not access the rebate.
Furthermore, it added, even for households who were still theoretically eligible, 300,000 missed out as they were required to prove their eligibility and were left “baffled by the complexity of the new scheme”. This, it explained, meant more than 800,000 vulnerable households never received the support.
Speaking last October, Lisa Pollitt, an energy adviser at NEA, said: “Due to changes to the Warm Home Discount scheme, I have spoken to too many people who can’t afford their heating and who have missed out. People who are already saddled with unmanageable energy debts.
“Every day we are hearing harrowing stories of the cutbacks these people are being forced to make. It’s vital vulnerable households who are still eligible don’t miss out on this energy crisis support again this winter.”