In November Guardian Money wrote about the help on offer for replacing boilers and installing energy-efficiency measures. I made enquiries for my mother-in-law who is 93 and lives alone in a former council house, claiming pension credit and attendance allowance.
She is with E.ON and has an old back-boiler dating from the 70s or 80s with an unreliable timer control, heating the ground floor and bathroom only.
After checking the pension details they got back to me to say they can’t do anything unless the boiler has packed up or is faulty, and would not be doing a survey as they have no funds.
I suppose we shouldn’t expect something for nothing, but I wonder whether your article was raising false expectations? IC, Nottingham
E.ON told us that under the rules of the government-run home heating cost reduction obligation (HHCRO) scheme, the power firm is only able to replace boilers that are faulty or broken. It says it didn’t know this boiler was faulty.
“Now that we are aware this is the case, we will contact IC with a view to confirming his mother-in-law’s eligibility and to providing funding towards a replacement boiler.
“Where a customer can’t be helped by one scheme our advisers are trained to signpost the other, as well as support available through third parties such as local councils. We’ll be reminding all our advisers of the importance of signposting the various ways in which customers who are most in need can receive support,” a spokeswoman says.
A survey has been carried out and the outcome is awaited.
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