Warm Home Discount Scheme

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fennel

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Sorry Jalima - I was teasing, just being a flamer

Good to put this subject on VampireQ as there will no doubt be some who are not aware of the scheme.One of the better things about GN is the info ( like this one.)

I don't think Bluebelle's post is nasty - I can see exactly what she means as relatives of mine were slightly above the limit for any benefits (apart from the state pension and a tiny works pension). Their neighbours, however, boasted how well off they were with all the allowances (benefits?) awarded to them because their total income from pensions was slightly less and under the threshold. They ended up with double the income of the first couple.

So yes, I can see that this kind of situation could cause some resentment with people.

Interesting OP vampirequeen and I don't think that this is advertised sufficiently. Perhaps you may qualify Bluebelle - it's worth asking.

sorry Fennel but that is a bugbear with me - that the state pension is a benefit. It may be termed as such and we shouldn't assume anything - but we all assumed that we were paying in for it. This view is reinforced by the fact that we receive a proportionate amount of pension to the number of years we paid in for it.

Goes off muttering.

There's an argument, which I agree with, that the OAP is a benefit. .

I put the opening post on because I wanted to make sure people knew about the allowance and didn't miss out. But it seems like I've opened another can of worms

I get it from the Cooperative because of low income not because of benefits. It's not necessarily just for people on benefits.

saying that.....what I should! be getting is the Winter Fuel allowance! but of course our dearest Government put paid to that for the ones like myself that have to work longer. so swings and roundabouts really, although the warm front grant is £62 less than the W fuel Allowance...(the warm front grants takes a few£1s off for something..cant rem what.

The interesting word here is " Benefits" I am now in work after being 12 months on bereavement benefit then a year and a half on Job seekers.

Thankfully I managed to secure a job at well know Supermarket (where I will be setting off to in the next half hour) I am on minimum wage working 16 hours there for I am entitled to Working Tax Credits (also classed as a "benefit" this is because of the situation I have now been forced into.

I to have applied and received the help that vqueen mentions, I rec it last year and have just applied for this year because I am in the low income bracket.

I think once the word "benefit" is mentioned it conjures up all sorts of stories and what we have seen /heard on various tv programs. If I wasn't entitled to it it's simple I wouldn't get it. They say that there are millions of "benefits" unclaimed and this is a prime example of one of them that is little spoke about or advertised, I knew nothing of it until a friend told me last year.

The Family allowance is now called a"benefit" "child benefit"

We were with British Gas and entitled due to low income, but we have just changed to EDF and their criteria is different to BG and low income is not a criteria with them, but we expect to save more having moved than staying on the BG tariff. It is a shame that each company has different criteria.

Thankfully we live in a civilized society where there is a safety net for those whose incomes fall below a certain threshold. This is steadily being eroded, but at least it is still there.

There have to be rules and some folk will find themselves just outside the qualifying criteria. Sadly this is inevitable.

This Warm Air discount scheme is wonderful for people such as myself. I am on Pension Credit, so get it each year. For many years, I was at home (not in paid employment), as I was acting as an unpaid carer for my husband who had MS, and also as a Foster Parent, to many young children. These days Fostering is counted as a 'proper job' paid well and stamp paid. In my day we just received very basic expenses for each child we took into our family, and no stamp paid. Although I worked prior to having children, and also again in the last few years before a rather belated retirement, this still meant I am only 'entitled' to a small proportion of the pension. So the P.Credit brings that up -and helps me with other benefits. TBH, I would gladly forgo these extras and be above the 'threshold'. Cannot understand anyone envying people like myself!!

Agree, Bluebelle is entitled to her opinion and surely that's the point of a forum - to get different points if view. If people stop commenting because they get shot down there will be no point having the discussions.
That said it is possible to get the warm homes discount if you aren't on benefits but are on low income. Its worth applying.