Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert website has warned thousands could be potentially missing out on the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme.
In a post on his site last week, the website revealed it had received "many complaints" after new eligibility criteria was introduced last year.
Those on guaranteed Pension Credit will continue to get their £150 automatically, however others on a low income will also now need to have high energy costs.
This means many who qualified last winter and are still facing financial difficulties won't get the money and could be "falling through the cracks".
Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action estimates "thousands, if not tens of thousands" of people are impacted.
Martin Lewis said: "The new system of Warm Home Discount high energy use assessments has left some out in the cold.
"It seems to be a blunt instrument, which may work to keep administration costs down, but has led to edge cases likely unintentionally missing out, and provision is needed to help financially vulnerable people who are falling into these cracks.
"It seems to me, if there's doubt that people are high energy users, their bills may be a good way to settle it. I've contacted Grant Shapps and he told me he’d look at it.
"I hope there will be some flexibility put into the system to help people at this difficult time, either to come up with solutions or at a minimum to explain how people can better navigate the rules for a fair outcome."
The criteria change was considered controversial at first because it excluded those on non-means-tested disability benefits.
This includes those on Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The MoneySavingExpert site said there were "cracks" showing in the "high energy costs" eligibility criteria.
These complaints included:
- High energy usage isn't assessed using bills or energy efficiency – leaving some saying they've been incorrectly told they have "low energy use" and the Government uses Valuation Office Agency data to do this
- Where Valuation Office Agency (VOA) data on your home is missing, you might be asked to provide an EPC, but some don't have these – and they come at a cost.
The MSE expert site contacted the energy secretary and asked for a "formal response" to the issues flagged by the site.
The Government spokesperson told MoneySavingExpert.com: "This is the first year of significant reforms to the Warm Home Discount.
“As discussed with Martin Lewis, the energy secretary will consider whether there are improvements that can be made to the operation of the scheme ahead of next winter.
“Changes to the Warm Home Discount scheme last Spring standardised the eligibility criteria across all suppliers and customers in England and Wales, meaning an extra 800,000 pensioners and low-income families will benefit this year compared to last.”
The MSE site also said it was to reapproach the Department and ask it to look at this winter's payments too.
It said it would update its story when it hears back but did not want to delay the publication of this news.
