Warm Home Discount explained as 190,000 homes risk losing out

More than 190,000 British residents could miss out on a vital £150 energy bill saving this winter. As part of the government’s Warm Home Discount scheme, which offers an annual discount from October to March, eligible households were alerted by letter after the campaign kicked off on October 14 last year.

But receiving this discount depends on your meter type and payment method for energy, reports the Mirror. Although most people, including those with smart prepayment meters, have the discount applied automatically, others with older meters and a key for top-ups won’t.

To claim, they’ll need to head to a local top-up point and present a specific voucher. Acting on behalf of providers like EDF Energy, OVO Energy, Good Energy, among others, the Post Office began issuing these vouchers almost three months ago, according to The Sun.

As of now, roughly 190,000 letters have been sent out, though it’s unclear how many recipients have responded. Kevin Elson, postmaster at Bache Post Office, told the publication: “We know many people are worried about the cost of their energy bills as the colder weather starts to set in. £150 can make a big difference, especially to people who are on pay-as-you-go meter.”

Residents of England and Wales could be in line to receive a voucher from the Warm Home Discount scheme. Those automatically eligible for this support are claimants of certain benefits, such as:

• Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income Support
• Universal Credit
• Housing benefit
• Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC)

To qualify for the scheme, your property must also have a ‘high energy cost score’. This isn’t based on your energy bill but refers to your property type, age and floor area.

Vouchers will arrive via letter, clearly stating a deadline for claiming, which could be valid for 30 to 90 days from issuance. If your voucher is lost or outdated, it’s vital to get in touch with your energy provider to request a new one.

Once you’ve got your voucher, you’ll need to pop into your local Post Office branch and present it to staff along with personal ID and a relevant utility bill. Both your ID, which can be a passport or driving licence, and utility bill must have the same name on them.

Someone else can claim this voucher on your behalf, but they will need to bring both their own ID and yours, plus the utility bill.

Which energy suppliers are part of the Warm Home Discount scheme?

There are 27 energy suppliers are participating in the scheme. The Government’s full list is below:

• 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
• Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
• Boost
• British Gas
• Bulb Energy – see Octopus Energy
• Co-op Energy – see Octopus Energy
• E – also known as E (Gas and Electricity)
• Ecotricity
• E.ON Next
• EDF
• Fuse Energy
• Good Energy
• Home Energy
• London Power
• Octopus Energy
• Outfox the Market
• OVO
• Rebel Energy
• Sainsbury’s Energy
• Scottish Gas – see British Gas
• ScottishPower
• Shell Energy Retail
• So Energy
• Tomato Energy
• TruEnergy
• Utilita
• Utility Warehouse

You can check your eligibility here.