Postcode glitch freezes pensioners out of winter heating benefit

A postcode glitch on Scottish Gas’s online portal has left eligible residents unable to apply for the Warm Home Discount, a £150 credit toward winter heating bills, exposing a gap in a program meant to aid those on lower incomes. The fault, first raised last autumn, continues to affect households in Glasgow’s Govan area and others with missing postcodes in the supplier’s online form. Scottish Gas acknowledged the issue and said it may be linked to how addresses for new builds are registered with Royal Mail, and that an update to the online portal is forthcoming. The persistence of the problem has drawn criticism from local volunteers and fuel poverty charities, who say vulnerable customers are being left out of a program designed to help them through cold months.

Annie Dougherty, a 71-year-old resident of Govan, is among those who say they qualify for the Warm Home Discount but cannot complete an online application because her postcode does not appear in the site’s dropdown menu. Dougherty told BBC Scotland that she believed she was eligible because she receives Housing Benefit and would benefit from the £150 off her bill each year. She described the impact of the glitch in stark terms: "That money would make a big difference. I think it’s ridiculous. We didn’t get the Warm Home Discount last year and we’re not getting it this year. We could really use the help, especially with winter heating costs." Dougherty added that her block of flats, built in 2024, is affected, and that many tenants are struggling to keep heating on only when necessary.

The problem was first identified by Gordon Brown, a local volunteer with Glasgow Action for Pensioners, who said he flagged the issue with Scottish Gas in November of last year after noting several accounts in the area failed to register the postcode in the company’s system. Brown estimated that 46 residences in the vicinity were affected and described the situation as one that could leave elderly residents sitting in cold homes. "In this area we know of 46 residences where the Scottish Gas database doesn't recognise the postcode. Most of them are elderly people who would be on the qualifying benefits. These people could be sitting cold," he said. He noted the company had offered a workaround—using a head office postcode and then calling a number to obtain a manual fix—but he called the process complicated and inaccessible for many people who lack time or the ability to navigate such steps.

Energy Action Scotland, a national fuel-poverty charity, said the Glasgow case is part of a broader challenge this winter. Frazer Scott, the charity’s chief executive, called the situation in Govan "incredible" and said it underscored the reality that many households rely on digital channels to access support. "It’s absolutely ridiculous that, for a company with the resources that Scottish Gas has, they cannot get this right. It should have been sorted a long time ago," Scott said. He added that it is unfair to expect eligible customers to fix problems themselves when the system should work for them, particularly when many people facing energy hardship have limited means or time to escalate such issues online or via phone lines.

A broader sense of urgency is mounting, in part because the Warm Home Discount program saw expectations for additional uptake this winter. Energy Action Scotland has projected that as many as 250,000 households in Scotland could receive the broader Warm Home Discount payment this year, on top of the automatic £150 discount for those on the guaranteed element of Pension Credit. The broader category, which covers households of all ages with low incomes, requires a manual application with proof of means-tested benefits. The ongoing online failure raises questions about whether eligible households in Scotland will receive the support they are entitled to before cold weather returns.

Scottish Gas said it was "sorry to hear that some residents in Glasgow's Govan area have had some trouble completing their Warm Home Discount application through the online portal." The company attributed the bug to possible misregistrations of address details for new builds with Royal Mail and said it is actively updating the system to correct these entries. A spokesperson added that advisors are available to help customers complete the form and ensure their applications are processed successfully. BBC Scotland has asked Royal Mail for comment on the postcode registration issue, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

In interviews, Annie Dougherty emphasized the real-world impact of delayed or denied access to the discount. She said her household has tightened budgets to stay warm, avoiding heating except on the coldest days and limiting the use of appliances. The frustration expressed by Dougherty reflects a broader concern among older households who rely on social welfare programs and who may not have the bandwidth to navigate complex online systems to claim benefits.

The issue also highlights a broader tension between the push toward digital service delivery and the needs of vulnerable customers who may lack reliable internet access or digital literacy. Glasgow Action for Pensioners and Energy Action Scotland have urged energy suppliers to fix the technical fault quickly and to offer alternative pathways for applicants who encounter online barriers. They also underscored the importance of communications from energy providers that are clear and timely about eligibility, application status, and next steps when problems arise.

Notably, Scottish Gas has pointed to the possibility that new-build addresses may not yet be registered correctly with Royal Mail—a factor that would affect the accuracy of postcode drop-down menus in online forms. The company said it is working to update the portal and to assist customers through phone or in-person support, but has not provided a timeline for when all problem areas will be resolved. The Royal Mail side of the equation remains under review, and BBC Scotland said it will monitor any developments in the registration process that could affect the online application experience for Warm Home Discount.

The Warm Home Discount is part of a broader set of initiatives aimed at helping households with winter energy costs, particularly those on means-tested benefits. While the automatic payment to Pension Credit recipients is straightforward, the broader group’s access hinges on a successful online or manual application. The current postcode glitch compounds difficulties faced by older residents in Glasgow and potentially elsewhere, raising concerns about whether the program’s outreach is reaching all eligible customers in a timely fashion.

As winter approaches, critics say the focus must shift from process to people. The aim is to ensure that eligible pensioners and low-income households do not miss out on a benefit that can make a meaningful difference in a season of rising energy bills. Scottish Gas and other stakeholders face pressure to fix the technical fault, streamline the manual-application process, and provide accessible assistance for those who struggle with online forms. In the meantime, residents in affected areas will likely continue to monitor news updates and seek guidance from local charities and community groups as they navigate the complexities of the Warm Home Discount program.