https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news ... nt-7441590
The Warm Home Discount (WHD) is a scheme which obliges every participating energy supplier to provide rebates to eligible low income, vulnerable households and will be extended this year.
Continuing to provide rebates to pensioners in receipt of elements of Pension Credit under the 'Core Group 1 cohort', the WHD scheme will now also provide rebates to a larger pool of households identified as having low incomes and high energy costs, under the 'Core Group 2' cohort.
Last year, over 2.2 million households received £140 off their energy bills and almost 470,000 received debt assistance through the Industry Initiatives element of the scheme. In the 2022/23 edition of the scheme, million of households will get £150.
Am I eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
There are specific criteria claimants must meet to be successful in receiving their Warm Home Discount. You either have to be in receipt of the Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit element of Pension Credit or fall into entitlement through Core Group 2.
To satisfy low-income criteria, the account holder (or their partner living at the same address) must be in receipt of one of the qualifying means-tested benefits or Tax Credits during the qualification date for that scheme year.
The following benefits and Tax Credits are the qualifying low-income benefits:
Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income Support
Housing Benefit
Universal Credit
Pension Credit Savings Credit
Child Tax Credits
Working Tax Credits
Some people claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Attendance Allowance (AA) will no longer be able to apply for the scheme, if their income is above a certain level, as these benefits are not means tested.
However, around 62 percent those on PIP or DLA will still get the £150 payment as they will fit the low-income criteria.
To meet the high energy cost criteria, the Government states: "The domestic property must be an eligible property type and must have an energy costs core above a threshold that is set for the scheme year by the Secretary of State."
How to claim Warm Home Discount
According to Age UK, most households entitled to the Warm Home Discount in winter 2022/23 will receive it automatically. Previously, those who weren't eligible via Pension Credit had to apply to their energy supplier to receive the money.
