New Warm Home Discount rules - do we qualify or is it the Winter Fuel Payment?

The person's name who qualifies for the Watm Home Discount should be on the energy bill. Also, to qualify, that person needs to receive one of the means-tested benefits. In other words, it should be the Pension Credit, not the State Pension itself. The purpose of the scheme is to support those, who are on a low income. 

Hi ​@chrisablake 

As ​@costeek points out you do not mention getting any Income Related benefit at all, so are unlikely to qualify for the WHD.

You say that you have a disability, are you claiming any benefits yourself?
ESA perhaps, or UC? (Although his 2-pension income would probably be enough to wipe out any IR benefits).

However if your husband was  born before 22 September 1959 then he should qualify for the pensioners ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment

I suspect that you may have  got the two different schemes mixed-up? Many people do.

The Warm Home Discount is for those in receipt of Income Related benefits, whatever age they are.
The Winter Fuel Payment is for pensioners only, they don’t need to be on any benefits.

Ahhh Penny dropping on my toe. I must have Winter Fuel Payment & Warm Home Discount mixed up. 
We aren’t getting any means tested benefits I do however get PIP and claim ESA to get last year & this year NI credits. Two less yrs to buy. I should have claimed yrs ago but DWP gave me incorrect advise, which they now are giving me but won’t backdate 15 yrs. (Another battle, another day)

Back to WHD absolutely me got wires crossed Years back when I was getting DLA it was an entry benefit to entitle you to WHD if your home need better boiler, insulation, draft excluders, double glazing. Again back then we had managed to scrimp and save to upgrade our home, so didn’t need /gain from it until our boiler broke and so old we couldn’t get parts so WHD installs new boiler. It was so long ago we bought a New one about 5 yrs ago AA rated and it’s great more economical than previous one Seems to use less energy and house warm. Not sure we’ll afford to run it this year , on hubbys pensions. I guess we should count our blessing we don’t qualify for Pension credit of Housing rebate- I digress again 🥴

Q Would we need to have bill in hubbys name to be entitled to WFA

To be honest, the naming of all financial support related to cold weather is confusing. There is also a Cold Weather Payment, which is separate support from anything mentioned here earlier. Until this thread, all three in my mind were as one abstract something I couldn’t claim. Good, we have this conversation! 

Regarding the Winter Fuel Payment: ”If your income is over £35,000, HMRC will take your Winter Fuel Payment back. You can check if your income is over the threshold and how HMRC will take it back.”

LOL,  lets remedy that then.

The Cold Weather Payment is for those on Income Related benefits again.

It is paid automatically if you get an IR benefit AND the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

It’s currently £25 and is paid directly into the same bank account where the IR benefit is paid to.

I’d have to check but think it was  February 2019 when I last got one, and I’m in the North of Cumbria.
(They actually paid me it twice the same week by mistake but have never asked for it back).

Oh and just for completeness: If you live in Scotland then since Devolution you have a different benefits system.
So you have different schemes with different names for most of these kinds of payments.
Even where the name is still the same both sides of the border the rules are usually different in Scotland now.

PS. I’ve been giving advice on disability and benefits forums since 2012 or so, which is how I know all this benefits related stuff.

I rather think IR means Inland Revenue to those of us old enough to be really bothered about the size of our pensions  ... 

Abbreviations often change their meaning depending on where they are used.
The names of things also change over time but it’s human nature for people use the same name/abbreviatios as before, the ones thatthey are used to.

When talking about benefits these days IR is short for Income Related (and IB for income Based which means the same thing but for different benefits- for example, officially it’s IR-ESA but IB-JSA).
CB is used for Contribution Based benefits.

When talking Tax matters these days people normally use HMRC,  Her (now His) Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, which is what the Inland Revenue became part of in 2005.

OF course many people still refer the them by the older names of ‘Means Tested’ benefits and ‘The Inland Revenue’.

I’m convinced that Politicians often mix them all up deliberately to try and confuse/obscure what they are actually saying/meaning.

Private Landlord sill advertise properties to let as “No DSS” meaning no benefits claimants will be accepted. (and yes that blatant advertising discrimination is still legal, for now at least).
However the Department of Social Security hasn’t existed since 2001 so nobody is geting benefits from the DSS anyway.

Really helpful information from our community members here 😊

Just wanted to add this topic you may find helpful ​@chrisablake:
 

Gosh what a lot of information I’ve worked out we should get the Winter Fuel Allowance Hubbys income is above threshold for Pension Credit & below the £35k max income, to be taken back by HRMC. 
Im always looking at ways to stretch our income & lower our expenses, as even though we have a regular income, nowadays its harder & harder to make ends meet. I’m now looking at what deals are available as my OVO Fixed Rate is coming to an end. My car insurance due for renewal I’m always blown away how it increases and no loyalty reductions. 
Wishing everyone well and thanks for all the advice. 

Hey ​@chrisablake,
 

It really does feel like there’s a lot to juggle at the moment, so it’s completely understandable you’re looking at every possible way to make your money stretch further. You’re definitely not alone in feeling that regular incomes don’t go quite as far these days, lots of community members here have shared the same experience.
 

It’s great you’ve already checked your eligibility for the Winter Fuel Allowance, and that you’re keeping an eye on your fixed tariff coming to an end. When it comes to energy, it’s always worth comparing your renewal options in the OVO app or online account, and seeing how that stacks up against the current SVT (standard variable tariff). If you’re open to it, you might also want to have a look at our helpful energy advice library section plenty of practical tips on cutting usage and costs.
 

Thank you for sharing your experience so openly and for your kind wishes, I’m sure others reading will really connect with what you’ve said. Wishing you both all the best, and please do keep us posted on how you get on with your tariff choice! 😊