Nearly 3 million more families would be eligible to receive the £150 Warm Home Discount next winter under new proposals to help people with their energy bills

That sounds very promising indeed.

Much fairer than giving it to many elderly who don’t need it - that is if that is how the scheme will work.

Whitewavemark2

Much fairer than giving it to many elderly who don’t need it - that is if that is how the scheme will work.

Agreed. I would much rather see help go to worse off families than better off pensioners. I wonder whether this will stop the complaints from those who say they are only concerned about poorer older people and not themselves?

Thank you for flagging this up. Here's the Press Release. Plenty of encouraging things in there.

... as the government consults on proposals to offer more support to consumers across the country.

I noticed:

• driving forward with pro-consumer reforms:

• challenging unlawful back billing;
• taking action on inaccurate bills
• driving the smart meter rollout
• giving every family the option of a zero standing charge tariff, so they have more choice in how they pay for their energy
• ensuring compensation for wrongful installation of prepayment meters

* In addition, government has also moved quickly to protect working people from wider cost of living pressures ...

www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-energy-bill-support-for-the-country

Feeling very encouraged

I'm encouraged by the possibilty of a zero standing charge option. It would need to be an option only so as not disadvantage those who use a lot of energy running equipment for health needs. But at last, it's recognising that some people are paying more on standing charges than on the energy component of a bill.

We have Martin Lewis to thank for his campaigning on this.

1 in 5 families OP? That’s one heck of a lot of people. I await the flesh on the bones.

The standing charge is very unfair IMO. It means that people have no way of not paying an energy bill, even when they switch everything off, or go away.

Whitewavemark2

Much fairer than giving it to many elderly who don’t need it - that is if that is how the scheme will work.

This is currently in addition to WFA for those on PC and other eligible mean-tested benefits. It (£125) goes straight to the electricity account of the eligible person. I wonder if it would make sense to roll these into one payment made though the energy company?

There are also Cold Weather Payments (£25). As these are triggered by very low temperatures over 7 days it means only the eligible people in the eligible areas get it so it would be hard to roll-up with the others.

I think that's a possibility now. As I understand it, The Government uses data from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to identify eligible households for the Warm Home Discount. The VOA matches property data with Tax Credit and means-tested benefits data.

Surely data is only available for properties sold or let in the last few years?

No. It's the Valuation Office Agency. The council tax valuation list is maintained by the VOA which is an executive agency of HMRC. It has been responsible for banding properties for council tax since the tax was first introduced.

Silverbrooks

I think that's a possibility now. As I understand it, The Government uses data from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to identify eligible households for the Warm Home Discount. The VOA matches property data with Tax Credit and means-tested benefits data.

Currently, only those eligible for various benefits PLUS living in energy-inefficient homes are eligible for the Warm Home Discount. The DWP has details of those eligible via benefits. I'm not absolutely sure who has details of energy-inefficient homes.

What I do know is that I'm not eligible because my home is considered energy efficient. That information was available within seconds at the click of a button. All rental properties are required to have an energy efficiency rating (updated periodically - every five years, I think). I believe owner occupiers can apply for a certificate. I don't know how much it costs, but it might be worth it, if you have a low income and live in an energy-inefficient home. It might also make you eligible for any government grants which are sometimes announced (but don't take my word on that). If you're selling a property and it's energy efficient, it might increase the chances of a sale.

I'm sure Silverbrooks is right and the government has the ability to match data from various sources.

The blurb on the Warm Home Discount site says that even people who aren't eligible for Pension Credit (and, therefore, don't receive WFP) could be eligible. I'm pretty sure that I would be eligible if I lived in a more inefficient house. That's probably why they don't roll the benefits into one.

They wouldn’t know which properties were, for instance, well insulated, double glazed etc would they?

Barleyfields

Surely data is only available for properties sold or let in the last few years?

No, all rental properties have to have an energy rating certificate by law. Somebody (not sure who) has a record of all the ratings. Owner occupiers can pay for a certificate.

Barleyfields

They wouldn’t know which properties were, for instance, well insulated, double glazed etc would they?

Yes, they would because somebody comes round and surveys the property. I've been here when it's done.

My banding is C, which is the proposed minimum for rental properties - it's currently D.

My banding would be higher if I had more roof insulation and/or had a more efficient boiler.

Nevertheless, C is considered energy-efficient, so I'm not eligible for the Warm Home Discount.

That’s a rental property though growstuff. I don’t know what data they would have for owner-occupied properties which haven’t been sold recently.

Barleyfields

That’s a rental property though growstuff. I don’t know what data they would have for owner-occupied properties which haven’t been sold recently.

I don't know either, but I would imagine that most people eligible for the Warm Home Discount do live in rental properties.

As I wrote, owner occupiers can pay for a survey and certificate. It might be worth it, if you have a low income and think your house is energy-inefficient.

I'm moving to my partner's home soon. His energy bills are horrendous (compared with mine) and I'm not surprised. I went up in the loft and there's hardly any roof insulation. The radiators could do with replacing - the boiler is about 30 years old and inefficient. The seals on some of the double-glazed units have gone.

I've persuaded him to get it all seen to before next winter - because I don't like living in a cold house. He wouldn't be eligible for WFP because his pension income is too high. However, even if he were eligible, I don't see why he should get away with neglecting the house for so many years and then expect the government to step in with energy support.

Presumably when the work is done, he will be issued with a certificate (if not, we'll pay for one).

Doodledog

The standing charge is very unfair IMO. It means that people have no way of not paying an energy bill, even when they switch everything off, or go away.

Isn't it to pay for the network of wires/pipes whatever? They need to be there if you use a little or a lot. The energy companies still have those costs even if you go on holiday.

I wish you happiness in your new life.

There are two core groups for WHD.

Core group 1 is those in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit who automatically get WHD. So I don't see why WFP couldn't be rolled into that as Politics Nerd suggested it might.

Core group 2 is people on certain other benefits who live in energy inefficient homes. If they don't have a current EPC, a claimant can submit an expired one.

More here:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/warm-home-discount/#:~:text=To%20work%20out%20if%20your%20home%20has,to%20heat%2C%20or%20how%20energy%2Defficient%20it%20is.

Check if the property has an EPC here:

find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/find-a-certificate/search-by-postcode?lang=en&property_type=domestic

The Martin Lewis programme is on ITV at 8pm tonight.