Hi all,
I thought I would let you know know what benefits and help you could be entitled too.
Warm Home Discount
If your total household income is less than £16,000 a year or you receive PIP or DLA or State Pension, you could be entitled to the Warm Home Discount.
It is a one off amount of around £140.00, which is credited to your electricity bill/account. It also applies to Pay As You Go electric meters. You just contact your electricity provider and ask them about the Warm Home and they will do the rest for you.
Note:
You will not be refunded the money, as it is a credit on your electricity account, regardless how you pay, so you won't get it to "go Christmas shopping".
And neither is it your money. It is money from the government to help those who need it the most.
It is ONLY credited to the electricity account NOT your gas account. The reason behind this, everyone has electricity.
Also you can not transfer the credit to your gas account.
Age doesn't come into it. If you qualify, you get it.
Personal Independent Payment or PIP
This is replacing Disability Living Allowance. You could be entitled to this.
It is designed for how you deal with day to day activities, such as. Do you need help to shower/wash? Do you need to be reminded to take your medication? How far can you walk? Do you need help to dress? Can you prepare your food/meal? These are some of the questions I can remember. It is not so much about what is wrong with you or how ill you may have been, it was about how you cope and how you need help.
You apply by calling the PIP people themselves directly on 0800 9172222. Please be sure to have your National Insurance Number and bank details with you. The back details are taken at this point, because if you qualify, the money will be paid directly and quickly.
It does take a while and if you are either already in receipt of PIP or DLA, you need to reapply about 6 months before it comes up for review, as the timescales are 20 weeks. However, if you are successful this will be backdated to the date you applied for it.
The form is daunting. I would recommend getting help to fill it in from your local Citizen Advice Bureau. Also your local hospital will have a Benefits Welfare Rights Advisor or an Almoner who will help you complete the form.
Employment Support Allowance
If you are of working age but can't work due to your health, you could be entitled to Employment Support Allowance.
You need to be unemployed.
If you get ESA, this does not affect you applying for PIP or if you are in receipt of PIP or DLA.
You can apply for ESA by calling 0345 6088545.
The form is similar to the PIP and can be confusing. Again contact your local Citizen Advice Bureau or your hospital Benefits Welfare Rights Advisor or Almoner, who will help you.
Also, you could be entitled to a grant from Macmillan. Yes, it is the same Macmillan.
Please visit www.macmillan.org.uk/.../macmillan-grants.html
I hope you find this helpful and if you apply for any of these, I wish you every success. Even if you have applied before and were unsuccessful, try again, it does not hurt and you may gain something.
Kind regards and thank you,
