Money off Gas & Elec bills ! !

[LindaH]

I was told about British Gas who will allow a £130 discount off your Gas & Elec bill if you are suffering either a serious illness or like us, terminal illness.

Brilliant. My Gas & Elec bill was high which I knew it would be because of the terrible winter we have encountered and coming out of hospital last Christmas I really felt the cold, so the gas fire and central heating was on virtually none stop.

I rang the lovely lady at British Gas ready to stake my claim....

Name?.... Linda

Nature of your call?.... to enquire about your Warm Home Scheme and to claim my £130 please.

Nature of your illness?.....Pancreatic Cancer.

Do you work?...No, I've been made redundant.

How many people living at your address with this illness?.....erm just me, well, my husband lives here, but he's not ill and my daughter comes home from Uni to live here, but she's not ill, erm does that make a difference?

Hold the line please, I'll check, no all seems to be good that your partner and daughter are well....thank goodness for that.

Okay Linda, we would like to get in touch with your consultants, would this be acceptable to you?.....Yes, no problem.

Now Linda, may I just ask how much income is coming into your household?....Is this relevant, I was to understand it was the nature of ones illness as to whether I would be able to receive help with keeping warm when I need to?

Well, Linda (by now was the jolly 'Linda' informality getting to me?)do you claim income support, or are you on benefits or unemployment benefits?......NO, none of the above.

(now I hear a sharp intake of breath) Linda does your household income exceed more than £16000?......Yes.

Oh dear, I'm sorry Linda, but your not entitled to claim for our Warm Home Scheme, I'm so sorry.....Goodbye.

So, basically, if I were to be claiming every single benefit I could under the sun, I could also have £130 off my Gas & Elec bill.

Do you know what they can do.....shove it I'll freeze.

Un-flippin'-believable

Linda

[KATB]

It beggars belief Linda, it really does.

K

x

[DRAD3]

Hi Linda - thank you for being the researcher on everyone's behalf! I'm wondering whether the fact that anyone diagnosed with a terminal illness is entitled to Disability Living Allowance (that is still correct isn't it?) covers any additional living expenses such as heating. I agree, when Gary was ill, we had the heating on ALL year round, with the obvious increase in our monthly direct debit but the DLA payments certainly helped there. The system of who is entitled to what is a minefield - I am sure they make it so to put people off even making that first phone call, so good on you for doing it!

love

Deb

x

[J_T]

Sorry, this is just so wrong on many levels.

Linda, sorry you had to go through a moronic phone call for nothing!

Annoyed? You betcha!