[Basil]

By "qualifying ex-customers" I mean those like myself who are no longer supplied by Utilita, but who were supplied by them on the qualifying date for WHD, as per the email I received which stated:

"Your Warm Home Discount is on the way.

Great news - the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that you qualify for the Warm Home Discount 2025/6.

That means you’ll receive £150 towards your energy costs.

As you were supplied by Utilita on 24 August 2025 and met the DWP's eligibility criteria, we'll make sure your payment reaches you.

How will I receive the payment?

Because you’re no longer a customer of ours, we’ll be sending you cash vouchers totalling £150, which can be redeemed at any PayPoint store."

I've just received the Utilita email regarding the changes to the payments (now one single payment in January), but the whole email reads as if it is only addressed to existing customers (it mentions "all eligible customers" at the start).

Will eligible ex-customers also receive their payment (£150 in cash vouchers) in January, or later? It's not clear from the email.

Incidentally, I called Utilita customer services a few days ago to ask when I would receive the payment. I explained very clearly that I am an ex-customer who was with them on the WHD qualifying date, and that I'd received their email about the cash vouchers. The advisor told me that Utilita were sending out all payments this month. This kind of incorrect information given out by CS is a large part of why I left.

Anyway, if a Utilita rep would be kind enough to reply, I would be grateful. Thank you.

[Dean]

Hi @Basil,

I can confirm that once a payment date has been set all eligible customers will be paid even those that have left supply,
this can be any time up until the end of March and those that have left supply will receive a cash voucher as you have stated - we should be releasing further communications some time next week but at this moment I am unable to give you a precise date.

For more clarity on why the payment date has not been set you can read this post I wrote yesterday to another member here:
https://community.utilita.co.uk/thre...ull=1#post6612

Kind Regards Dean

[Dean]

Hi @Basil,

We have now posted official comms regarding WHD payment dates which you can find here:
Warm Home Discount Payment Update - Utilita Community

I have been advised this will also be the same for customers that have left supply and receiving cash vouchers

Regards Dean

[Basil]

@Dean - Thank you for your prompt reply.

To be clear, I'm not so much interested in receiving the vouchers ASAP as I am knowing roughly when to look out for them. I held back from saying it in my original post, but I had very high number of problems of all kinds during my time with Utilita, from the very start (when I moved into this property owned by a social housing landlord with which Utilita had the void property contract (no longer, as the landlord had problems with them too) to the very end (I phoned the Billing Team to pay off my final balance, and, despite my clearly confirming the amount due - and the advisor having it in front of them - they processed the transaction for a penny less, resulting in me receiving a further final demand for £0.01, which I was tempted to leave Utilita and their agents to pursue in order to see what the press and public made of it, especially considering the fact that this penny I owed (which was, admittedly still due technically - which itself goes to show how purely automated systems can yield rather absurd results) was purely down to the error of an employee, which would have been proven by the call recording). Incidentally, I know how the penny bill came about, as it showed the amount debited during the phone call - 1p less than what should have been taken.

That is the proverbial tip of the iceberg (even the 'final' bill had additional issues, let alone other aspects of my account and supply), but I'll get back to the point.

Given the numerous historical issues with the company, I am, quite frankly, anticipating (and stressing about) further problems associated with receipt of the vouchers - that's what happens when you get let down and messed around so often. So, could you please clarify which body I would need to contact in the event that I didn't receive the vouchers by the deadline - Utilita or the WHD scheme administrators?

In the former case, I suspect that my non-customer status would have an impact on the level of priority my missing payment would be given, and in the latter, if memory from my communication with them some years ago serves me correctly, they are not contactable for much longer after 31st March. I could be mis-remembering this, or my memory may be correct but the scheme has since changed, but I do recall an employee of the scheme stating that they weren't contactable - at least by phone -all year round).

Hopefully, I'm worrying about nothing, but no harm in having some foreknowledge (if only I'd had some about how my account would be managed!).

Despite not being too fussed about when I receive the vouchers, I am confused about the payment dates (however approximate). I'm aware of the OFGEM rules giving suppliers up until the end of March to pay eligible customers and ex-customers (this deadline is also given in the letter I got from the WHD scheme), but today's email says:

" For this year’s Warm Home Discount, all eligible customers will receive their payment in January 2026.

We know many of our customers are used to receiving their Warm Home Discount in two payments across the winter – and some of you may have been expecting the first payment around December. However, this year things will work a little differently.

What's new?

Eligible customers will receive their full £150 payment in one single instalment in January 2026, rather than two smaller payments."

However, I note that you said " I can confirm that once a payment date has been set all eligible customers will be paid" and that your reply came roughly around the same time as the email with that announcement, so could it be the case that Utilita have just decided on a payment date (January) and that you simply weren't aware of a very recent development?

Furthermore, the email again fails to clarify when the posting of vouchers for eligible ex-customers will commence.

Again, as long as I get the vouchers by the end of March I'll be happy, but the pedant in me requires a solution to the above apparent contradiction (by 31st March, as per OFGEM rules, OR "in January 2026", as per today's email from Utilita). Is it just another clumsy error, and the email should have said that payments will commence in January (but will continue throughout the next two months)?

[Dean]

Hi @Basil

Firstly I am sorry to hear of the issues you experienced before leaving supply with us.
We only received the official comms after my initial message to yourself as such let me address your WHD concerns:

• This is an Ofgem Policy and as such Utilita has until the end of March to Ensure all payments are made
• The WHD is funded under the reconciliation process as such:

1. A percentage of every suppliers customers bills are put towards the WHD this is not an additional charge and is built in on all suppliers, suppliers that can not reach the required amount of funding through the bills will require additional funding, This is provided by the other suppliers as part of there obligations under the scheme
2. Larger Suppliers are able to make the payment earlier due to having a larger Customer Base
3. Utilita has a smaller customer base but a larger amount of customers eligible for the WHD because of this Utilita has to wait for the additional funding which has now set

• Utilita Will begin making payments from 7 January 2026 and will continue making payments throughout the month. as this is the earliest we are able to and we hope to have completed all before the end of January
• This date decided was the earliest possible as we received confirmation that this is when the funding will be released as stated in the reconciliation process above
• More detailed information can be found on the reconciliation process on Ofgems official website and in the post I first Linked to you
• The Payments will Include ALL ELIGIBLE customers Including those that have left supply
• as the letter states If you haven’t heard anything from us by 28 January 2026, please get in touch so we can look into it for you.
• If there are any issues then Utilita will ensure these are resolved as soon as possible and before the end of March as part of its obligations

I hope this helps clear things up

Regards Dean

[Basil]

@Dean - Thanks for your detailed reply.

I shall bide my time and wait for for the vouchers, fingers crossed this will be one thing that actually goes smoothly.

Best wishes for Chrsitmas and the New Year.