SmartDebit Comments On Warm Front Scheme

• 

SmartDebit

(PRWEB UK) 27 September 2012

A government-backed scheme to help those worried about their energy bills has undergone changes in the last week to loosen the eligibility requirements for receiving the aid. The Warm Front scheme aims to help more people and families with children living on low incomes pay their energy bills over the winter months combating fuel poverty. The eligibility criteria for help under the scheme is widening after the budget for last year was under-spent by over £50 million and the number of applications fell.

The call comes after recent investigations by Consumer Focus revealed that almost four out of ten (39 per cent) households are concerned about affording their energy bills this winter. And of these people, 70 per cent (roughly six million households) in England plan to cut back on heating their home this winter due to these worries.

In the last year of the Warm Front scheme, they hope to help thousands of households stay warm and save up to £600 off their annual energy bills.

A SmartDebit representative shares his opinion:

“Warm Front is a great scheme providing thousands of people with much-needed help and financial support. Though the application restrictions have been loosened for the scheme's final year, SmartDebit would like to remind those who may not be eligible under Warm Front that there are still savings to be made by opting to pay utility and service providers by Direct Debit.”

“An annual saving of over £240 is available to those who set up the continuous payment method, as well as the many other benefits that Direct Debits provide; easier budgeting, better financial management through regular scheduled payments and no penalty fees for late payments”.

SmartDebit™ are the UK’s leading Direct Debit service providers, specialising in payment processing services since 1998. A Bacs approved Bureau, scoring ‘Excellent’ in all five categories of the Bacs audit, and ISO 27001 compliant. Providing a complete range of services: Outsourcing; SmartDebit-Admin cloud based portal; SmartDebit-Online payer sign up; SmartDebit-API integrated solution and SmartDebit-Contingency.

PDF Print