The Danish Energy Agency has investigated the data sources behind the heating check and estimates that between 1.6% and 2.6% of heating checks were paid out on the basis of faulty or incomplete data. Varmecheck's supplementary application round opens on Tuesday 14 March.
After the payment of the heat check in August 2022, the then climate, energy and supply minister Dan Jørgensen asked the Danish Energy Agency to investigate how well the heat check has hit in relation to whom the agreement group politically wanted to help .
Against this background, the Danish Energy Agency has investigated the number of payments that may be affected by errors or deficiencies in data.
The heating check was paid out on the basis of two data-based criteria, which are also the starting point for the study:
Heat source in the home based on i.a. BBR data on heating method per 1/1-2022
Household income based on CPR address 1/1-22 and annual statements from 2020
The study concludes:
It is estimated that approx. 1.6 per cent has been paid a heating check on the basis of errors in the heating data.
Between 0 and 1 per cent. has been paid a heating check on the basis of estimated 2020 income (e.g. due to unfinished annual statement). Part of this may have had an actual household income of over DKK 650,000 in 2020.
It is not possible to add the two estimates together, as there may be overlap between the two data groups – for example households that have both had an incorrectly registered heat source and an unfinished 2020 annual assessment. The overlap cannot be assessed with existing authorities in the legislation. Therefore, the study estimates that between 1.6% and 2.6% of the total number of heating checks were paid out on the basis of errors or deficiencies in the database.
No wrong payments within the meaning of the law
Recipients of the heat check who have received it due to errors in the data are still entitled to a heat check according to the law. This is because the right to a heat check rests on information in the data sources and not on facts. There is thus also no question of incorrect payments within the meaning of the law.
Varmecheck's supplementary application round opens on 14 March
From 14 March and eight weeks onwards, it will be possible to apply to be paid a heating check. The option is aimed at the group of citizens who were not paid a heating check in connection with the automatic payment in August last year, and where it is a matter of non-self-inflicted data errors. Households that can document that they meet the criteria in the law and apply within the eight weeks will be entitled to payment of a heating check.
The application round follows from the Act on one-off subsidies for low-income households and heat sources covered by extraordinary price increases in the heating season 2021-2022. The same information and cut-off dates are therefore used as a basis for who is entitled to payment of the heating check.
The heat check can be applied for via the application portal at varmecheck.dk. Here it is also possible to read more about how the application will take place in concrete terms and whether you are entitled to the heat check.
Facts: Who can be granted a heat check upon application
It is defined in the law that households must meet a number of conditions in order to be paid a heating check in the supplementary application round.
The drafting of the law does not allow the Danish Energy Agency to make individual estimates that go beyond the criteria below:
The household has not been paid a heating check in 2022. In this context, the household must be understood as the persons who were registered at the same address in the Central Personal Register (CPR) per 1 January 2022 (based on extracts from CPR as of 1 April 2022).
The household's total income in 2020 must not exceed DKK 650,000 (DKK 706,000 before labor market contribution). The information is based on extracts from tax per 1 April 2022 for annual statement 2020.
The household's residence must per 1 January 2022 be registered in BBR with one of these heat sources:
Natural gas.
District heating from certain district heating networks with a high proportion of gas and/or electricity
( See the act's section 3, subsection 1 no. 2 and 3, and appendix 1. )
Electricity (It can be, for example, heat pumps as the primary heat source) with an electricity consumption of over 1,500 kWh in December 2021.
District heating/block heating, where the primary form of heating in December 2021 was one of the above heat sources.
Alternatively, an error registration of BBR heat source must be documented per 1/1-22, which cannot be attributed to the household itself.
All households that apply within the eight weeks and meet the requirements will be entitled to payment of the heating check. There is thus no question of a first-come, first-served principle.
The case processing of the applications is started as the applications are received. The remaining heat checks are expected to be paid continuously from April onwards, but the processing time will depend on the total amount of applications that the Energy Agency receives.
Who still can't get a heat check
Households that have already received a heating check.
Households with heat sources that are not covered by the law, such as electric heating/heat pump with an electricity consumption of less than 1500 kWh in December 2021, wood pellet or oil boilers and the majority of households with district heating.
Households where missing or incorrect information in the data sources used can be attributed to the persons in the household. This includes, for example, owners who live in the household and have not received updated BBR information about the heat source before 1 January 2022.
