Switch Squid Breakdown: Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount for the 2020-2021 winter season is set at £140 and if you qualify, you will get a one-time discount on your electricity bill.

The Warm Home Discount funds are not provided to you immediately, but rather applied to your energy bill between October and March. The energy supplier will handle everything for you.

You can request for the discount to be applied to your gas bill if both fuels are supplied by the same supplier. The Warm Home Discount is not available from all energy providers; find out which ones provide it below.

If you’re on a prepayment or pay-as-you-go meter you can also be eligible for the Warm Home Discount. The way the reduction is applied is up to your supplier, although it’s usually in the form of a voucher that you may use to purchase meter credit.

The Social Tariff programme was replaced by The Warm Home Discount and is intended to assist individuals who are vulnerable or may require assistance in paying their gas and electricity bills during the winter months when energy costs are highest.

If you were receiving the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit on July 5, 2020, you are immediately eligible for the Warm Home Discount (even if you get Savings Credit as well).

In addition to the direct Warm Home Discount of £140, certain suppliers provide Industry Initiatives, which are a kind of indirect Warm Home Discount.

These programmes offer clients the services of a third party to assist them to save money on their energy bills. This might include energy-saving tips and assistance with debt reduction. Even if your energy provider does not offer the Warm Home Discount programme, you can participate in industry initiatives.

If you do not fit into the core category, you may still be eligible for the Warm

Home Discount since some providers give it to a “broader range” of consumers such as low-income households and particularly those with small children.

In these situations, each provider has its own eligibility requirements as well as a cap on the number of discounts it will give out. The standard criteria are as follows:

-You have a low income.
-You’re in receipt of means-tested-benefit

By 31 March 2021, the Warm Home Discount programme for the winter 2020-2021 season should have been added to your account.

If you are a core group member and are qualified for the Warm Home Discount, you should have received a letter in the post between October and December 2020. This letter confirms that your Warm Home Discount will be taken from your electricity bill and may request that you phone a helpline to verify your information.

If you have not received your letter by December 2020 and believe you may be eligible, call the Warm Home Discount Scheme team on 0800 731 0214, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wider group

If you believe you may qualify as a member of the non-core group, you must apply for the Warm Home Discount.

Begin by determining whether your supplier gives the discount (see below). You may file a claim for the Warm Home Discount online or by phoning your provider.

Broader group applications are typically open in October through an energy supplier, and the reduction will be added to your account by 31 March 2021. To learn more, contact your existing energy supplier.

Along with the Warm Home Discount, energy users can take advantage of additional financial help programmes. The claimant’s eligibility for these programmes is unaffected by claiming the Warm Home Discount.

The Cold Weather Payment is a government benefit that is paid when temperatures consistently fall below zero. Although it is not frequently given out, it is worth noting.

You may also be eligible for the winter fuel payment or winter fuel allowance if you were born on or before 5 October 1954. The winter fuel payment is a tax-free payment of between £100 and £300 that is intended to assist specific groups of individuals in paying for their winter heating. Whether you qualify is determined by your circumstances, which in turn determines the amount of assistance you are entitled to.

Additionally, you may be eligible for energy efficiency awards. If you qualify for one of these programmes, you may have your home insulated for free. Insulating your home is an excellent method to save money on your energy costs while also reducing gas and power waste.

Additionally, you may save money on your costs by making even the smallest of modifications around the house and altering your outlook on energy waste.

Previously, any provider with a client base of more than 250,000 had to give the Warm Home Discount to the core qualifying group. This was expanded to providers with more than 150,000 customers beginning in 2020. Certain smaller providers voluntarily offer the Warm Home Discount to their customers.

In the 2020-2021 season, the following vendors provide the Warm Home Discount:

While switching energy suppliers is an easy and efficient method to save money on your energy bills, you should verify your supplier’s policies on the Warm Home Discount and switching.

If you have already received the discount, switching providers may be permissible. However, if you’re still waiting for it, transferring suppliers may be complicated, and you risk not getting your discount.

If you believe you are not qualified for the Warm Home Discount but need to save money on your energy bills, conduct a fast online energy comparison to determine how much you may save on your energy supply.