Regulation 23 Provision of rebate to broader group customers

(1)

Where a compulsory scheme electricity supplier provides the prescribed rebate to a Scotland domestic customer, that rebate is only to be treated as being provided under this Chapter if—

(a)

the supplier has notified eligibility criteria and verification measures to the Authority;

(b)

either—

(i)

the rebate is provided after the Authority has approved the eligibility criteria and verification measures; or

(ii)

in scheme year 12, the rebate is provided before the Authority has decided whether to approve the eligibility criteria and verification measures, and the Authority subsequently approves them;

(c)

the supplier applies its verification measures; and

(d)

it appears to the supplier that the customer meets its eligibility criteria.

(2)

A compulsory scheme electricity supplier must provide the prescribed rebate to a broader group customer by—

(a)

crediting to the customer’s electricity account an amount as a result of which the amount (including Value Added Tax) charged to the customer is reduced by the amount of the prescribed rebate;

(b)

following a request by the customer, crediting to the customer’s gas account an amount as a result of which the amount (including Value Added Tax) charged to the customer is reduced by the amount of the prescribed rebate;

(c)

tendering payment of the amount of the prescribed rebate to the customer;

(d)

providing a customer who pre-pays for electricity with credit to the amount of the prescribed rebate against the cost (including Value Added Tax) of future electricity use; or

(e)

following a request by a customer who pre-pays for gas, providing the customer with credit to the amount of the prescribed rebate against the cost (including Value Added Tax) of future gas use.

(3)

The date on which the prescribed rebate is provided to a broader group customer is the date on which the compulsory scheme electricity supplier complies with paragraph (2).

(4)

A compulsory scheme electricity supplier who provides the prescribed rebate to a broader group customer must—

(a)

specify on the customer’s bill; or

(b)

otherwise notify the customer in writing,

that the customer has been given a rebate under the Scheme.

(5)

A compulsory scheme electricity supplier must, before the end of the specified period, notify the Authority of the number of prescribed rebates provided by the supplier under this Chapter in the scheme year which are undelivered as at the date of the notification.

(6)

For the purposes of this regulation—

(a)

“the specified period”, in relation to a scheme year, means the period of five months beginning with 1st April immediately following the end of the scheme year;

(b)

a prescribed rebate is undelivered if—

(i)

the rebate was provided to a customer by tendering payment of the amount of the prescribed rebate to the customer, and the customer has not accepted the payment; or

(ii)

the rebate was provided to a customer who pre-pays for electricity or gas with credit to the amount of the prescribed rebate against the cost of future electricity or gas use, and the customer has not accepted that credit.