Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

A question about : Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

Hi all,

We've written a new guide on Free Boilers and Insulation, and it would be great to hear your feedback. Please do share your experiences and any extra tips to help others.

If you applied for a free boiler, please let us know ...

- Which energy provider you called:
- How long it took to get a free inspection:
- Were you asked to contribute towards anything and why (for example extra radiators, the boiler needed moving, you didn't meet certain conditions):
- How long it took to the get the boiler installed:
- How you found the experience:

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

Thanks for your help,

MSE Jenny

Best answers:

• From the article it seems that only an Energy Company can provide the free boilers.
  There are TV adverts with Johnny Ball quoting Affordable Warmth and Help Link offering similar deals. Do they get their funding from the Energy Companies as well?
• I own an ex-council house that has a Ideal Cavalcade 340 or 350 gas boiler. The manual I have is dated 1991.
  I qualify to have my boiler replaced free under the Energy Company Obligations (ECO) scheme.
  The problem is the boiler is so old it pre-dates when the tables were introduced so I cannot get the Energy Efficiency Rating.
  I have called Ideal and they say they cannot help.
  The Energy Savings Trust suggested I get a Home Efficiency Assessment done but times are hard, that's why I qualify for the scheme.
  Any suggestions what I can do?
• I don't know if anyone knows the answer to this, but here goes. My 24 year old son lives with me and is on Job Seekers (didn't know there could be different types of JSA) and also gets Disability Living Allowance. I have just been advised by British Gas who were doing the yearly service that my boiler is now no longer manufactured and cannot be serviced for much longer under their scheme. He suggested that as my son is claiming these benefits I should apply for a free boiler, however I am not sure what happens with regard to finanching this if I apply but my son is then lucky enough to get a job. Am I then responsible for the full cost of the boiler or do the initial qualifying factors mean the boiler remains free?
• Hi, I'm pretty sure that as long as you qualify at time of installation then you wont have to pay when your son finds some work, fill out an online application and when the advisor calls to check eligibility you can always double check with them
• EDF won't replace a broken boiler, E.on, Npower and SSE all require you to be in receipt of an additional benefit to Working Tax Credits, either child support or disability etc.
  Very disappointing, I'm on a low income, have had a broken boiler for 3 months and have been waiting for about the same to get proof that I'm in receipt of Working Tax Credits (I applied late, stupidly) and have just found out that I'm still not eligible for a free one.
  Starting to get quite smelly.
• Weeks ago I was approached by doorstep salesmen from energysavergroup.co.uk who signed me up to a contract for a free boiler, having met the benefits criteria. They said they'd be in touch within two weeks, but I never heard from them. I've tried to ring the company and it goes to a voice message that says 'box is full', and they're not replying to emails. Shortly after I signed the contract my boiler broke, so am in need of a replacement urgently. But I'm worried about the contract, which states that they will commence installation within a reasonable time, and that if I withdraw from the contract there will be (undisclosed) charges. I really want to approach one of the big five offering this service, but fear I may get caught up in a scam if I pull out of this contract. Has anyone else had similar experiences? Furthermore, I found another company at the weekend who are offering free replacements but they are not one of the big five energy companies. Are they legitimate too? I was also told that salespeople are gathering people's details then selling them on to other companies. The Energy Saving Trust aren't able to advise and I can't find any governance on this scheme that I can approach for advice.
• Hi Everyone
  To all those who have tried to get a free boiler through the ECO SCHEME via the ENERGY SAVING ADVICE SERVICE and come across problems and been rejected because you have received a letter from the Department of Energy and Climate Change. With the reason for rejection being that the DWP could not confirm that you were in receipt of any benefits. (When you know that you do receive benefits that qualify for this scheme) DONT GIVE UP!!
  I just thought I would post up my experience of trying to get a free boiler through the ECO Scheme which has been a nightmare. Something that should have been so straight forward like the Energy Saving Advice service taking my details correctly, making sure that i qualify with regard to the qualifying benefits, choosing a supplier, verifying my benefits with the DWP, passing that on to the supplier, who contacts me to come and assess the situation. New boiler fitted happy days!! As the advisor at the Energy Saving Advice Service said to me, T"hat should be fine you should be contacted by the supplier within two to three weeks". NO PROBLEM you would think!!!
  "ERR NOPE" no sign of a boiler that was back in April this year 2013 when my ten year old boiler gave up so no hot water, and no heat. We are now in mid July 2013, over 3 months later, and still no boiler. After making umpteen phone calls to the ESAS, going through 4 advisors, and a supervisor here is how it all went wrong.
  The first time it got rejected I received the usual letter that the DWP could not confirm that i was in receipt of any benefits so i copied all my award letters and sent them recorded delivery to the ESAS at the DECC and received no reply.
  Then after about a month I rang the ESAS to see what was going on and the advisor said he knew what the problem was it was because the previous advisor had entered the wrong date of birth, so he corrected it and said it should be no problem now.
  So I left it another 3 weeks and nothing happened, so phoned back. This time the advisor said it had been rejected because, "err can I put you on hold" then cut me off.
  The next advisor couldn't tell me either and said it looked fine etc. then said oh well we will do a new application, which we went through all the rigmarole again and he said that looks fine and said wait three weeks which i did and still no joy.
  So I rang again and this time the advisor said he didn't know either, so do a another application which we did, At this point I am getting a little bit frustrated as no one can tell me why the DWP keeps saying I don't get benefits when I do. I suggested that I am the one applying in my name but the income support is in his name, could that be the problem? The DWP are searching for my name and coming up with nothing, because the benefits are in my husbands name and not mine. The advisor said no! If you are getting income support too that should not be a problem. At this time I am thinking that this is definately the problem logic tells me it is the problem so we argued a little about this, but he was adamant this was not the problem, and resubmitted the application.
  Well low and behold it was rejected again. NOW I AM GETTING REALLY ANNOYED. So I phone back again this time the advisor says he will get a supervisor to phone me back, I said great maybe I will get somewhere now,and said when is that likely to be? He said "up to two weeks", I said," what are you joking here?", He said no they were very busy. ( I thought no wonder with clowns like you lot answering the phones).
  So just to recap it is now mid June and I have done 3 applications one with British Gas one with Eon and one with Npower . Spoke to 3 advisors and now waiting for a call from a supervisor which guess what? In three weeks Never happened!
  So today i phone again and ask for a supervisor and told i am speaking to one. I thought great I explained everything to him and he said i think i know what the problem is it is because the benefits are in your husbands name.
  HALLELUJAH!!!!
  The penny has dropped I thought! But I am not getting too excited you never know we could both be wrong.
  So it has now been submitted again and I have to wait three weeks ha ha ha!!
  So my advice is keep on trying to anyone who has been rejected because these advisors have not been trained properly and one day you may be lucky and fall upon one that has so good luck to you all!!
  I am actually beginning to loose the will to live, or wash for that matter!! you have to have a sense of humour or you would hit someone!
  I will keep you updated on this continuing saga and let you know if i ever actually do get a new boiler. LOL! kind regards LMS x
• Hi,
  I phoned the Energy Savings Trust (Scotland) today and the woman was very helpful. She took all my details and said firstly my entitlement to benefits would be checked with the DWP and then my application would be referred to my chosen energy company, I chose Scottish Power.
  She did say there was a long waiting list and it could be six or seven weeks before I hear anything. She also said that I shouldn't be asked to contribute towards any costs.
  I will keep you updated and look forward to hearing other people's updates.
  Thanks Martin Lewis!
• I filled out the Energy Savings Trust (Scotland) online enquiry page Thurs 4th July. Friday 5th I had a phonecall from Home Energy Scotland via them followed up same day by email. By last Monday 8th I had a letter to say my details were being checked with DWP to see that I qualified and by Friday I had a letter to say DWP had confirmed I qualified and it was now being forwarded to Scottish Gas to arrange the survey. So far I cannot fault them. Now we just wait to see how long it takes Scottish Gas.
• Many Energy Companies are "Jumping the Gun" by not waiting for a qualifying referral issued by the Energy Saving Trust.
  I have spoken to the EST who agree in most cases this is undermining their efforts to refer clients who have already been acknowledged by the Department of Work & Pensions as qualifying for example the Free Boiler. They have even warned against divulging sensitive personal information to Energy Company agents calling at your property.
  Energy Companies themselves are bypassing this stage and causing confusion by declining help such as Free Boilers using their own criteria purely on a commercial basis , IE they are picking and choosing clients to their own ends.
  I have had several examples of Energy Companies declining valid applications without providing any explanation, when pressed they avoid the question avidly.
  Until further guidelines are published please be vigilant.
  Tony M
  Manchester
• They did say there was a waiting list of about six weeks though.