Money adviser and Debt Camel blogger Sara Williams is urging millions of people on benefits or a low income to claim a one-off discount of £140 off their electricity bill through the UK’s Warm Home Discount scheme.
In her blog, ‘£140 help with your electricity bill this winter’, she outlines how the Warm Home Discount works and lists all the large (and some of the small) electricity suppliers that offer it. She also outlines two other schemes that help with heating costs: Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payments.
She says: “There are some very big price rises coming in 2021. In early August 2021, only a couple of suppliers let you apply now. Most start taking applications in September and October. But many suppliers let you add your name to a list to be sent an email or a text when applications open. This is a good idea, so register now if you can. If you have a pre-pay electricity meter you can still get this help. You don’t need to apply if you get Pension Credit.”
Debt Camel’s 5 tips for getting the Warm Home Discount:
- If you aren’t sure if you are eligible, just ask – call your electricity supplier. You could be £140 better off – so it’s well worth a phone call to try!
- Apply to your electricity supplier. The £140 is given as a discount on your electricity bill, you can’t apply for it to your gas supplier.
- Apply as soon as possible! Some firms only offer a small number of discounts to those that apply first. In year in 2020 some were closed before November. So don’t wait until it is really cold.
- Re-apply every year, even if your circumstances are the same, you must apply again. Don’t think that your supplier will contact you – they won’t.
- Be careful if you switch supplier! If you qualify because you are on a low income, don’t switch your electricity supplier until the £140 has been paid unless your new supplier had confirmed you will get the discount.