Warm Home Discount
Support for Vulnerable Customers
The Warm Home Discount is a programme of support aimed at customers who are living in, or are at risk of, fuel poverty. The scheme was introduced by Government on 1st April 2011 and will run for 4 years. Electricity suppliers will deliver the scheme and will primarily help qualifying customers by providing rebates on electricity accounts to help when bills may be higher over the winter period.
Some customers will qualify automatically for a rebate and will receive a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions telling them this. Other customers can apply for the rebate if they meet certain eligibility criteria.
In the second year of the scheme commencing on 1st April 2012 the rebate will be £130. The £130 rebate is inclusive of VAT so it will show on your bill as £123.81 before VAT is applied.
Are you eligible for a Warm Home Discount rebate during 2012/13?
Domestic customers who are in receipt of only the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit and those over 80 who are in receipt of the Guarantee Credit & Savings Credit elements of Pension Credit automatically qualify and do not need to apply to receive the rebate.
These customers will receive a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions during 2012 telling them that they qualify for the Warm Home Discount rebate.
Under the scheme electricity suppliers can offer the Warm Home Discount rebate to other domestic customers providing they meet certain eligibility criteria.
If you are a ScottishPower domestic electricity customer and you or your partner who lives with you receives at least one of the following benefits you can apply for the Warm Home Discount rebate.
- Income Support
- Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
OR, if the following statement applies you may also qualify
- Your total gross household income is less than 16,190
In addition to the above you must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Have a child who was under 5 on the 1st of April 2012 permanently living with you (born on or after 1 April 2007)
- Have a child entitled to free school meals
- Receive Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit which includes a disability element or severe disability element, disabled child element or severely disabled child element or family element
- Income Related Benefit which includes a disabled child premium, disability premium, severe disability premium or enhances disability premium
- Income Related Benefit which includes a Carers Premium
- Employment Support Allowance which includes a Work Related or Activity Component or Support Component
- Receive Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit or Attendance Allowance
- You and/or your partner who lives with you is aged 62 or over
- You and/or your partner receive exemption from NHS charges
If you meet the criteria above you can apply for a Warm Home Discount rebate by clicking the link below. If you want help completing the form please call 0800 027 2700 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
To verify your eligibility for a Warm Home Discount payment we may share information you have provided with the Department for Work and Pensions. Alternatively you may be contacted by letter by a company working on ScottishPower’s behalf and asked for documentary evidence of the benefits you receive. If you do not provide the required evidence when requested the rebate will not be paid.
If you qualify your rebate should be paid by 31st March 2013. Please note that you must be a ScottishPower domestic electricity customer at the point the rebate is paid. If you change supplier between applying for the Warm Home Discount scheme and the rebate being paid you will need to apply to your new supplier for a rebate under the Warm Home Discount scheme. Eligibility criteria might differ between suppliers.
Availability for the Warm Home Discount is limited so it is important that you apply early.