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Just moved in- Have I missed Warm Home Discount cut off date?

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Hey!

 

New member here 👋 - I hope everyone is okay! This isn’t my first Community rodeo 😆 

 

I’ve just moved into a new property supplied by OVO (never had them as my supplier before!) so I’ve just got a few questions… 

 

  • Have I missed the WHD cut off? Just wondering if I’ll be eligible at my new property. I know that it’s done automatically this year, but wondered if I need to submit something as I’m joining the party late. 
  • We have SMETS1 meters at the property - my account hasn’t been set up properly in your guy’s side yet so I’m not too sure if it’s functioning. But we don’t have an IHD - just wondering if we would be able to get one? / if we will have the meters upgraded to SMETS2. 
  • Do I have the option to pay via a variable DD rather than fixed? We’ve just signed up to the loyalty fix and it’s saying £153 a month!!!!!! And we by no means can afford that! So I think variable DD with as little usage as possible will be best for now.

Any-whooo folks, it’s late now! Hopefully someone replies in the morning 

 

Ham

Best answer by Blastoise186

Updated on 08/10/24 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

 

What is the Warm Home Discount (WHD)?

 

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount given to eligible domestic electricity customers to help with their energy costs. It's usually paid between October and March of each scheme year. It's a Government scheme funded by participating energy suppliers like us. It’s designed to help people who need it most.

 

The Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme is closed for the scheme year 2023/24 and will reopen again later this year. 

 

The Warm Home Discount (Broader Group) has now opened to applications from our customers based in Scotland.

 

Customers can apply online here. 

 

Broader Group Eligibility Criteria can be found here.
 

We encourage all customers who believe they fall into the Broader group (Scotland Only) to apply online via the OVO and Boost websites. 

 

However, If a customer needs some assistance completing their WHD application please contact our support team. 

 

OVO Broader Group: https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/warm-home-discount-scheme 

 

Boost Broader Group: https://www.boostpower.co.uk/help/support/how-do-i-get-the-warm-home-discount 

 

Ways to get financial support

 

If you’re struggling financially or you’re worried about your energy bills, we’re here to support you. Find out about the different ways we can help here.

 

How do I register for the Priority Services Register (PSR)?

 

Check out the Customer Support package here: https://winter-support-package.ovoenergy.com/

​​​​​​

 

Good morning @Ham :D

Well, if you count 00:20 as “morning” that is! XD

You’ve probably already figured it out, but I am one of the Forum Volunteers around these parts. Be careful, cuz this is even wilder than the wild wild west.

Aaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnyyyyyyyway…

Have I missed the WHD cut off? Just wondering if I’ll be eligible at my new property. I know that it’s done automatically this year, but wondered if I need to submit something as I’m joining the party late.

I’m afraid so for this year - the cut off is around July. But you’re in time for the 2024/25 scheme though.

We have SMETS1 meters at the property - my account hasn’t been set up properly in your guy’s side yet so I’m not too sure if it’s functioning. But we don’t have an IHD - just wondering if we would be able to get one? / if we will have the meters upgraded to SMETS2.

 

Hmm… Sounds like some trickster has nicked your IHD - they’re not meant to leave the house they’re installed at! Trying to get an IHD for S1 meters is tricky and OVO doesn’t have any stocks left either. But I do have options for you.

Do I have the option to pay via a variable DD rather than fixed? We’ve just signed up to the loyalty fix and it’s saying £153 a month!!!!!! And we by no means can afford that! So I think variable DD with as little usage as possible will be best for now.

 

Not with OVO - VDD seems to be falling out of favour as well. You can do Pay On-Demand, but you’d lose the fix deal (I’d keep it if it were me!) and now really isn’t a good time to gamble with the price caps…

Try calling 0800 069 9831 though. The Collections Team can probably figure out a way to lower the payments until the first review comes in.

Let me know if you’ve got more burning questions - I’ll do what I can to answer them!

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Blastoise186
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  • December 14, 2023

Updated on 08/10/24 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

 

What is the Warm Home Discount (WHD)?

 

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount given to eligible domestic electricity customers to help with their energy costs. It's usually paid between October and March of each scheme year. It's a Government scheme funded by participating energy suppliers like us. It’s designed to help people who need it most.

 

The Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme is closed for the scheme year 2023/24 and will reopen again later this year. 

 

The Warm Home Discount (Broader Group) has now opened to applications from our customers based in Scotland.

 

Customers can apply online here. 

 

Broader Group Eligibility Criteria can be found here.
 

We encourage all customers who believe they fall into the Broader group (Scotland Only) to apply online via the OVO and Boost websites. 

 

However, If a customer needs some assistance completing their WHD application please contact our support team. 

 

OVO Broader Group: https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/warm-home-discount-scheme 

 

Boost Broader Group: https://www.boostpower.co.uk/help/support/how-do-i-get-the-warm-home-discount 

 

Ways to get financial support

 

If you’re struggling financially or you’re worried about your energy bills, we’re here to support you. Find out about the different ways we can help here.

 

How do I register for the Priority Services Register (PSR)?

 

Check out the Customer Support package here: https://winter-support-package.ovoenergy.com/

​​​​​​

 

Good morning @Ham :D

Well, if you count 00:20 as “morning” that is! XD

You’ve probably already figured it out, but I am one of the Forum Volunteers around these parts. Be careful, cuz this is even wilder than the wild wild west.

Aaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnyyyyyyyway…

Have I missed the WHD cut off? Just wondering if I’ll be eligible at my new property. I know that it’s done automatically this year, but wondered if I need to submit something as I’m joining the party late.

I’m afraid so for this year - the cut off is around July. But you’re in time for the 2024/25 scheme though.

We have SMETS1 meters at the property - my account hasn’t been set up properly in your guy’s side yet so I’m not too sure if it’s functioning. But we don’t have an IHD - just wondering if we would be able to get one? / if we will have the meters upgraded to SMETS2.

 

Hmm… Sounds like some trickster has nicked your IHD - they’re not meant to leave the house they’re installed at! Trying to get an IHD for S1 meters is tricky and OVO doesn’t have any stocks left either. But I do have options for you.

Do I have the option to pay via a variable DD rather than fixed? We’ve just signed up to the loyalty fix and it’s saying £153 a month!!!!!! And we by no means can afford that! So I think variable DD with as little usage as possible will be best for now.

 

Not with OVO - VDD seems to be falling out of favour as well. You can do Pay On-Demand, but you’d lose the fix deal (I’d keep it if it were me!) and now really isn’t a good time to gamble with the price caps…

Try calling 0800 069 9831 though. The Collections Team can probably figure out a way to lower the payments until the first review comes in.

Let me know if you’ve got more burning questions - I’ll do what I can to answer them!

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
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Firedog
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Ham wrote:

New member here  

 

Welcome aboard 🤝🏻  

 

Ham wrote:
  • Have I missed the WHD cut off? 

 

See here: The Warm Home Discount scheme: what it is and how to apply | OVO Energy 
If you’re eligible, it’s whoever was your supplier on 13 August 2023 that gets the funds, so OVO wouldn’t be dealing with your discount anyway. If you weren’t eligible then, you won’t get the discount this winter.

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
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Hi @Ham 

1. Did you get the WHD at your previous property last year?

2. The £153 DD sounds like it is close to a typical bill in the UK.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-price-cap

Of course the size, type of property and number of occupants, usage patterns etc make a difference.

You can see how much gas and electricity OVO are assuming you will use each month on this page. It is the Future Annual Consumption.

https://account.ovoenergy.com/plan

You might have some idea about how realistic this is from previous experience. It will adjust automatically over time but it isn't quick based on my experience.

As @Blastoise186 says give collections a call, there are a few things they can typically do like freezing your DD at a slightly lower rate for 3 months. You can also ask them at any time to refund any credit you build up, you just need to leave 1 months DD payment if you are on a fixed plan. It will be interesting to know what they offer if you are happy to post it.

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Welcome @Ham! 😁

 

I can see you’ve already met our very knowledgeable Community Volunteers. 

 

Pop back anytime if you have any OVO account or green tech related queries and we’ll be happy to help. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
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Perfect everyone thank you! I think you’re right @Jeffus , it seems a pretty standard price so we’ll just leave it and see what happens! It could be that the previous tenants used LOADS so the EAQ is higher so usage probably won’t be as much with us. And thanks for clearing it up @Firedog - stupid me didn’t even think about the fact I’ve already got it! 
 

@Blastoise186 sounds good, super bummed to not have an IHD as it’s not my fault! But that’s a tale as old as time 😆. Do you recommend the Bright and Loop apps? I don’t want to pay for one! I’d love one physically but i ain’t paying! 
 

thanks everyone! 

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Also sorry! I should’ve added it on, @Emmanuelle_OVO i was just wondering how long the wait is at the moment to get a reply to an email? At the moment the account is just in my name, but I want to add my partner on too 😊. I emailed yesterday but just wondering if I’ll be waiting donkeys years for a reply! 

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Both Loop and Bright are excellent options. Feel free to try both if you want to! :)

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Hi @Ham , here’s a quick rundown on the various third party apps (all free)

 

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Hi @Ham 

I’d also have a good look round in, on top of, and even behind all the cupboards and drawers, IHDs that are not being used can often get tucked away in odd corners.
When I moved in here a couple of years ago the SMETS1 IHD was ‘hidden’ on top of and at the back of a wall mounted kitchen cupboard.
Once I found it, put new batteries in and plugged it in, it re-connected to both the electricity and gas meters in about half a day.
Of course being SMETS1 they weren’t sending data to OVO but at least I could see my usage, and read the meters without going outside.

As the others have said if you are concerned about the level of DD they have set then call customer support and ask for it to be lowered, since I joined OVO last January they have always tried to set mine too high (in my opinion/calculations anyway) and a call gets it reduced again to more like what I think it should be.
It does help once you have a few months usage data under your belt for the new property so that you can do at least a rough calculation of what it should be.
(Mine does appear to be on track for reaching zero balance on/before March 31, which is what they aim for to now. I did have a debit balance when moved from SSE, but I would be well in credit now if I had paid the DD amounts that OVO had been asking for).

(BST) Summertiiime, and the weather's still freezing.
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Nukecad wrote:

Of course being SMETS1 they weren’t sending data to OVO

 

This is a strange statement. Smart meters were introduced precisely in order to transmit data (meter readings and usage figures) direct to the supplier, so the householder didn’t have to. SMETS2 uses a slightly different system - sending data to a third-party from whom the supplier can retrieve them. This means that the meter itself is in this respect independent of the supplier, meaning that the householder can switch to a different supplier without bother. 

Most SMETS1 meters have been upgraded over the past few years to use this same system, but there are a few which can’t cope with this. So your statement will only be true if (a) the current supplier is very different from the one that installed the meter and (b) the meter hasn’t been ‘enrolled and adopted’ on to the national data network.   

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Both correct, different supplier (it was a British Gas IHD, I don’t know who else the supplier had been but when I moved in I signed up with SSE) and the old SMETS1 meters couldn’t be enrolled with DCC for some reason.

OVO did come to fit SMETS2 meters back in May but hit a technical snag with the new gas meter, so I now have a new SMETS2 for electricity but still the old SMETS1 for gas.
(Which caused some fun as for months they were trying to bill to a new gas smart meter which was never installed, I think I have now got that one sorted out).

(BST) Summertiiime, and the weather's still freezing.
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  • December 17, 2023

Hey everyone!! 
 

sorry for my recent inactivity, we’ve been away! 
 

Looked through the house top to bottom and sadly no IHD 🤷🏼‍♀️. We’ve been signed up for over a week now and our app is still saying collecting data? So I’m just wondering if it will ever connect or it will be a dead SMETS1. 
 

Anyone got any advice how long I should leave it? Or if I should contact OVO to see what is what? Ideally, I want the meters upgraded to SMETS2 - but I feel like OVO might follow the same excuse other energy suppliers follow… “you’ll have to wait for the DCC to upgrade them” which is absolutely not true 😆 

Blastoise186
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Hiya! Welcome back.

If you can post photos of the meters you’ve currently got, we might have the ability to recommend options.

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Try this @Ham to see if your meter has been upgraded 

https://smartmetercheck.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Did you check out any of the free 3rd party apps to see if they can access your smart meters? They only work if the software on your SMETS1 meters have been updated 

 

 

 

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