Forgot to mention in my post about charity grants earlier:
When I was looking at assistance for my utility bills I stumbled on "warm home discount" I had seen this before and was sure that it was just for pensioners and low income households with small children.
I'm with First Utility and I looked on their website only to find that they had extended their scheme to include disabled people in receipt of PIP along with other groups you might fit into as part of their "extended scheme" I'm not sure if any other providers do this but it's worth a look.
I've not seen this widely advertised - like most things - seems it's only there if you know.
All I had to do was fill in a form (they didn't even ask to see loads of evidence) and they emailed me a few days later to confirm that a credit of £140 would be applied to my bill in March. Not bad for 5 minutes work!
Thank you so much yet again, I have pasted a link to the GOV.UK cache on this topic below, please also check with your supplier to check if they are on the scheme:
I think I'm done for today on the grants and support ha ha. I hope loads of members can get this to help keep homes warm this winter with no worries of big bills
I sincerely want to help others find hidden grants and money to help get through life with fibro and other chronic conditions.
Passing on what I have experienced and found is very rewarding for me, I'm much happier when others I've helped get additional support than when I get things myself.
If you see anyone here that might benefit from the info please feel free to link to the posts or point them in my direction, I'm genuine in my offers of further information and I can prove to anyone that I'm genuine with the successes as I have letters.
A lot of people I speak to don't feel they are worthy of the extra help such as benefits or grants as they can manage. Life isn't about managing - it's about being able to do and enjoy things. It's not just extra spending money it's there for a purpose like getting finances on track, being able to take taxis rather than the bus, new clothes if you have large weight loss or gain, have the heating on more, to help with healthier eating, to buy gadgets to support independence or more expensive sensible shoes, drop some hours temporarily at work to name a few.
I've found my fibro is much easier to manage since the extra finances to do the things above with no money worries!
I've offered to share the info with the local fibromyalgia group at an upcoming meeting so I'll likely put together a presentation style handout so I'll share it here too.
Hi M3rcury. Did you have any knowledge re claiming Attendance Allowance, please. I am 71 and have fibro, osteoporosis and osteo arthritis. I have rently got a Blue Badge and am wondering if it is worth applying for AttendNce Allowance as I am be omi g more and more reliant on other people. I would be grateul of any comments you can make. Hope you are having a good day
I don't have any knowledge of attendance allowance specifically but I understand that it's like personal independence payment (PIP) for people over 65. It's payable at a lower or higher rate depending on the amount of help you need. I think it can also put premiums (more money) on any other benefits you get but I don't know how this works in detail. I don't know if it's linked to income or savings so that would be a consideration.
I would assume that it's quite similar to the PIP process with having to complete a form about the amount of help you need (whether you get it or not) and supply evidence.
A while ago I did dome posts on the PIP process and how I approached the form that might help. There's no harm in contacting the department that deals with attendance allowance and having a look at the form.
If you let me have your email address in a private message I'll send over the links to my posts as I put them in a document that also includes other things that you might be able to apply for
I found out about it last year, I just got in before the deadline and received £140 for my electric, which was brilliant. I could have done with it for the gas, but it ment I didn't have to worry about paying for my electric for months. I've already applied for this years and its been approved. Please everyone apply!
I just checked with my energy supplier (Scottish Power) online and will have to check whether I qualify as my Mother In Law lives with us and she is 87. The interesting thing is that while I was on the website there is a tab to check if you are on the best tariff and I wasn't, so I have just saved £32 per month, it is worth checking. Thanks for making me look.
Oh you just reminded me to call Scottish gas get this years put on, done it last your but not sure if its automatic or have to call every year, so better do it before Christmas. My sons get dla, high rate, middle son got the pip letter and form in, they don't ask about night time care anymore, shocking for those that need care through the night. Very worried they stop his money, he can't go out on his own or travel far plus one of us need to be at home to make sure the boys don't kill each other, both have ADHD, autism/asbergers, ocd, oldest has tourettes too, he is slightly worse but a different balance, so really worried they loose their support.
Oh wow, that's loads to deal with -I take my hat off to you!
When I was young my parents used to foster young adults with LD, then my dad owned an LD residential home that I lived at for a year before I left home - it made me the person I am today!
And yes, don't forget to claim, I remember seeing that you have to renew it. The deadline will be approaching but I can't remember when it is off the top of my head.
I used to manage the admin for the local adult care service for the county council and it was so hard all the cuts and the services having to be looked at as the threshold for need was being raised! Very hard for individuals and care givers of those with complex needs.
Why are you so worried that it will be taken away? Did you get help with the form?
i don't mind you PMing me if I can help in any way - I had advice from a benefits worker that represents vulnerable adults at tribunals in how to attack the form
We don't havee a care plan for kyle cos social worker only cared about Connor, kyle manages mainstream school JUST so hes ignored by everyone, including the high school. Primary sent everything up supporting his needs etc they ignored it, depu head said hex just to lazy to mix with others,
Hi Claire, thanks for posting, i was going to do this today, i got it last year, however i didnt get it untill March but its a brilliant saving as i am on a pre-pay meter, i have applied again this year, dont know if i will get it again but i can only try, as you have said its so easy to do
Thank you for this, I only recently found that I am eligible for such a payment and it will make a welcome help to my finances. I had only just found out about this, then the very next morning an envelope arrived from my electricity supplier with a voucher for £12 pounds for my key meter. So it's been a good week for this particular customer 👍🏻👍🏻😀😀😀
You can also get special rate with water bills as we need hot water to ease pain or help with skin complaints , if you contact your water board they will send you a form for your go to sign .
We done it tonight see if we will get anything but we had talked on the phone to them a few months ago but not hard owt back but see some think on Facebook tonight and they was saying they got they £140 now on there electric so don't know we filled the form in tonight so will see did ask if you was getting PIP as well so fingers crossed will let you know if I hear any think x
I'm with British Gas and we been getting it for the last 3 years. Their criteria are:
"We don’t just give the Warm Home Discount to our Pension Credit customers. Other customers are eligible, too.
Do you qualify?
To qualify you need to:
Be the named (or partner) account holder.
Be an electricity customer already.
Continue to have your electricity supplied by British Gas through the winter of 2015-2016 (up until 31st March 2016).
You also need to meet one of these criteria:
You’re a Pension Credit customer who receives Savings Credit or Guarantee and Savings credit (and the government haven’t told you you’re eligible for the warm home discount)
You receive one of these benefits [1]:
1. Income Support
2. Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
3. Income-related employment and support allowance (including a work-related activity or support component)
4. Universal Credit (low income elements).
Which should include either:
- A child element for children aged 5 or under
- A disabled child element
- A limited capability for work element.
You have a gross annual household income of less than £16,190 [2] and:
- you’re living with a mental or physical disability or illness
- or someone you live with is vulnerable (like children aged 5 or under)
- or you’re of pensionable age.
You’re a customer with a gross annual household income of less than £16,190[2] and you spend 10% or more of that income on energy bills to heat the property.
We might ask for documentary evidence to support your claim (which is just us following the scheme guidelines)."
Hi! Thank you sooo much for your post..I have contacted EDF who advise me that someone might ring me to confirm my disability....has anyone else had their phone calls yet? I don't mind confirming or sending a letter....but just want to be clear about confidentiality...
Great stuff, always good to hear positives. Isn't it a huge relief that you can put the heating on without having to think about future bills? I can't imagine having to skimp on heating with fibro!! It's win win if we happen to have a warm winter!
As for confidentiality - I doubt very much they would share any information as their systems and processes aren't that sophisticated!
They usually only want to share name, address and phone number as they ask you about sharing (and do it anyway) but sharing of health info would put them in a VERY sticky position! It's just not going to happen in my opinion.
Even if you do get a call it wont be too bad and maybe even them asking about/offering any other support measures as they have an additional duty of care to anyone considered as "disabled" or "vulnerable" if there was a power cut or planned work, it's always good to get in these lists as you find out in advance rather than with only 24-48 hours like everyone else. The last time I had planned work I passed it on to the street gossip who shared it with the neighbours for me Bwahahahahaha
To get on the lists for support and warm home discount I just explained, in an online form, fibro plus how I'm affected and offered in writing to first utility as I have it but they declined and put me on their vulnerable list.
Please let us know if you experience anything different
Hiya, i am with EDF, just fill in the form on their website, i had the discount last year and have just had the letter to say i am getting it again, its such a help when you have scrimped to put money on your meter when its so cold , good luck xx
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It's really getting me down 
Pip reviews - have you had yours yet? 
My DLA hearing today
Atos home assessment
Home at last!
