Warm Home Discount Scheme

Sorry Jalima - I was teasing, just being a flamer

Oooh, Fennel tut tut ???????

But it seems like I've opened another can of worms

You haven't opened the can of worms vampirequeen. I think there is a huge likelihood of people on here - mainly older women - who will be glad to find out they may be able to get this.

The benefit/benefit argument over the state pension are often misplaced. If you pay into a private pension scheme what you receive is, and always has been, a benefit. The amount all insurance schemes and annuities pay are legally called the 'benefits' of that scheme.

Not all energy companies belong to the scheme, either.
I just checked on the link and Ecotricity are not on it.
My income entitles me to it on the Cooperative scheme, but I'd have to check and make sure they accept the smart meter that I've had fitted by Ecotricity.

One thing to remember is, this not being a government benefit, that once you have applied and been accepted you will loose the WHD if you change companies after their cut off date.

If you have an income that is 'just' above Pension Credit criteria because of a 'tiny' pension you may be eligible for Pension Savings Credit although this is not available for people going on to the new pension. If you are not eligible for Pension Saving Credit than the amount you are above the Pension Credit is less tiny than those who are eligible which makes me wonder what 'tiny' is to some people.

Obviously it should not be like this but it is not the fault of those who are receiving additional benefits - it is the government who decide how this works.

Could it be Jamila that your relative is a glass half empty person - not satisfied to be on an income higher than his neighbour and that the neighbour is either winding your relative up or is content with what they are getting. After all your relative has nothing to go on except that they feel comfortable with what they are getting - which may actually be less. If you believe they boast you will never actually know how much it is.

The allowances you mention the neighbours get may be available to your relations if their income and savings are as low as you suspect. They should not believe that they know - people get it wrong all the time - it is very complicated. If they apply they may get some or all of them. It is a pain, but if they are living on that low an income I am sure they will think it worthwhile.

Fennel

Could it be Jamila that your relative is a glass half empty person - not satisfied to be on an income higher than his neighbour and that the neighbour is either winding your relative up or is content with what they are getting. After all your relative has nothing to go on except that they feel comfortable with what they are getting - which may actually be less. If you believe they boast you will never actually know how much it is.

Flaming Gracesgran?

No, never glass half full but got a bit fed up with the boasting of the neighbour when they were JAM, £48 above the threshold at the time.

Anyway, it was my brother and he has since died, thanks.

You say 'at the time' so hopefully their situation has improved. As I said, a small pension could entitle them to Pension Savings Credit and other benefits but it is extremely complicated and it may be worth going to someone like Age Concern as they will always help. Pension Savings Credit is being phased out and is no longer available for new pensioners. Eventually, as far as I can see, those getting Pension Savings will fall to the Pension Credit level.

Vqueen no you certainly haven't opened can of worms as the OP has said...it is people liek you we have to be thankful to for bringing things like this to the for front, as I say I would never have know about it but for a friend casualty mentioning it last year.

Jalima yes this is what I was trying to say, that some that are on benefits do brag and gloat about how much the rec, as I say the tv programmers and media that show some of these families that do shall we say "take advantage" makes us tar everyone with the same brush, although on another note, what people spend their benefit on is entirely their choice, whether it be a 60 inch tv , exotic holiday, car etc is up to them.

But going back to the original post, there may be gnetters on here who may qualify and didn't know anything about it. It is forums like this that bring these things to light.

No one! at the Job center or anywhere like that ever told me or advised me that this scheme was available, hence you have to rely on finding out by pure chance.

I bet there are 1,000s that are entitled to this help and either know nothing about it and no one has given them any hints (certainly not the Gov etc)
So their they are sat there struggling and frightened of switching a light on, or fan heater or boiler etc, when they could have a little help towards their winter heating that aren't entitled to the WFA.

I can only agree with you bikergran - let's get the message out there so, while the system is as it is, no benefit that should be claimed goes unclaimed. It you look at the graph the difference between unclaimed benefits and benefit fraud is shocking.

Like the title of that graph, GracesGran.
The government is committing far more fraud than the rest of us. Even tax fraud pales into insignificance.
So why is it mainly benefit fraud that gets the headlines?

Benefit fraud is constantly reported on because that's the government's and media owner's agenda. They want to make it seem a far bigger issue than it really is so that they can use it as a weapon to demonise all benefit claimants.

The newspapers don't print stories about how their owners avoid paying tax because that's not in their interest.