confused , concerned about warm home discount process

It is very unusual for anyone from a utility company or phone operator just to turn up on a customers doorstep. You were quiet right to ask them to leave as this is suspicious if a booking had not been made. They should have ID with them but only call a number you know not the one from the badge to check. Criminals will have fake badges and the number may well go to their “Call Centre”.

Hopefully someone from the OVO team will be able to give some clarity on the warm home scheme and the process for this.

Do I understand you correctly, that someone, who said was from EE, was going to add credit to your top-up OVO smartmeter? I might not know everything, but it sounds very strange. So, I agree with DavidWSR - do not let anyone in your house if you are not sure (not feeling secure). Write down the OVO customer service telephone number from their website (or maybe one of the moderators could post it here?) and if they come again, call to that number to double check. If it’s the real person from OVO, they will understand your concerns and, I believe, would wait passionately. Another option, if you haven’t done so, you can register in the Priority Service. There is the following option: “Agreeing a password with us before we visit, so you feel safe”. You can do it here: https://customer.nationalgrid.co.uk/advice-and-guidance/priority-services/priority-services-register/

Regarding the Warm Home Discount, if I remember correctly, it happens automatically. The same applies to the Winter Fuel Payment.

Who is paying? Government pays via your energy supplier. Your energy supplier could also have an additional support. On top of that, it worth to check with your council, they too could have some support option towards your energy bill. 

I’m afraid that sounds like a criminal who was trying to get into your property to see what he could steal (or worse).

I hope that you did not give him your banking details if he asked, but those who are after your bank details don’t usually call at your door, they do it by phone or message.

EE have nothing whatsoever to do with the Warm Home Discount.
EE have nothing whatsoever to do with electricity supply or  electricity meters.

Unless you have misunderstood what he said then he was making it up.

The person turning up at your door is bogus - the Warm Home Discount scheme is automatic and nobody needs to visit you about it.

You might want to call 101 and report this bogus visitor to the police - if he has tried it with you then he will still be trying it with others.

However: The letter is almost certainly genuine and you should be contacted about that by your electricity supplier.
Such letters are currently being sent out by the government, unfortunately the scammers do know that too.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/10/warm-home-discount-letters-scams-warning/

That is a common misconception.
Probably because the government would like people to think that.

The Warm Home Discount is a government initiative, but the government do not fund it from taxes.
The government tells the suppliers each year who qualifies for that years WHD.

The electricity suppliers fund the Warm Home Discount, however the Government/Ofgem “expect” them to then pass on the cost of doing that to all of their customers.

So WE all pay a little extra each year on our electricity bills to fund the WHD.
Even those who do get the WHD also pay their yearly contribution towards it.

Quite. In September, electricity suppliers were paying £10.98 per customer into the scheme each year. Just now, that figure is £19.51 per customer. Next month, it will have risen to £22.92. There is talk these days about changing this from being levied ‘per customer’ to ‘per MWh,’  along with all the other ‘policy costs’ they’re obliged to pay. Some say these policy costs just represent a way of raising tax without raising taxes. 

Next quarter, the policy cost to suppliers for the typical medium-sized household will be the equivalent of £172 a year. It’s up to suppliers how they recoup the costs via bills, with some of it put on the unit rate and the rest on the standing charge. Ofgem lay down how this is split for the default Standard Variable Tariff (OVO’s Simpler energy).  

I haven’t mentioned gas, because that works a bit differently and I don’t get gas ...

[Figures from https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/Annex-4-policy-cost-allowance-methodology-v1.22.1.xlsx]

There is also, in general, very little correlation between when you receive the letter from the government stating that you are eligible and when you actually receive payment. OVO (and every other energy company) cannot send your payment by adding credit to your PAYG smart meter, adding credit to your account or sending you a voucher to use when you top up your key/card PAYG meter until they have received an instruction to do so from the government. Some people have even received their WHD from their energy company before they have received their personal government letter! 

It’s common to receive the discount before the letter arrives. In my case it was a week difference.

My bad! I wasn’t aware of the details. It’s good to know, thank you!

Thanks for the comments .

Theyve all been very helpful . Ive contacted the supplier and he said no one had been sent out so the suspicion was correct thst he was a chancer trying to get my information by playing the role of a legitimate agent . He was very plausible and friendly so people should be wary  and were it not for him saying he had “ accessed my meter “ which wasnt possible from outside my home , being an old type and which irked me and aroused my doubts I may have given him more info and access . But he went down hill from there as his script fell apart a bit and I “ asked” him to leave . Being informed helps a great deal and the advice received has done that for me . 
The advice about the process and form of the home Discount clarified a lot and the supplier confirmed payments are via vouchers sent out after Christmas . When I read that fraudulent texts ,emails and even letters can be  sent out ,one begins to second guess everything , so having responses in the forum gives some reassurance .

many thanks .

​@Saudade a warm welcome to the OVO Forum.

I’m happy to see that you’ve had so many helpful replies on this thread - I’m glad you’ve now received the correct info. 

I hope that’s the last you hear from the ‘EE engineer’. I’d also recommend reporting this via 101 if you get the time.