Warm Home Discount Scheme

Printable version

1. Overview

The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2024.

Find out what to do if you did not get your discount for winter 2023 to 2024.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.

If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.

You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. You only need to apply if you’re on a low income in Scotland - contact your energy supplier to apply.

You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity and you’re eligible. Contact your supplier to find out.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.

Eligibility

There are different ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme depending on where you live.

If you live in England and Wales

You qualify if you either:

If you live in Scotland

You qualify if you either:

The Warm Home Discount scheme is not available in Northern Ireland. Find out about the Affordable Warmth scheme.

Pre-pay or pay-as-you-go meters

You can still qualify for the discount if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter.

Your electricity supplier can tell you how you’ll get the discount if you’re eligible, for example a voucher you can use to top up your meter.

Park (mobile) homes

You apply a different way if you live in a park home.

Apply for the Park Homes Warm Home Discount.

2. If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit

The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2024.

Find out what to do if you did not get your discount for winter 2023 to 2024.

You qualify for the discount if on 13 August 2023 all of the following applied:

This is known as being in the ‘core group 1’ in England and Wales. In Scotland, it is the ‘core group’.

If you do not get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you may still be eligible if you’re:

If you’re eligible

Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.

3. If you’re on a low income in England and Wales

The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2024.

Find out what to do if you did not get your discount for winter 2023 to 2024.

If you do not get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you may still be eligible for the Warm Home Discount.

You may be eligible if on 13 August 2023 all of the following applied:

  • your energy supplier is part of the scheme
  • you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
  • your property has a high energy cost score based on its characteristics
  • your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill

This is known as being in the ‘core group 2’.

Qualifying benefits and tax credits

The qualifying means-tested benefits are:

  • Housing Benefit
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • Income Support
  • the ‘Savings Credit’ part of Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit

You could also qualify if your household income falls below a certain threshold and you get either:

  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit

Your energy cost score

Your property must have a high energy cost score to be eligible for the scheme.

This is not based on the actual energy costs in your energy bill. It’s calculated based on your property’s type, age and floor area.

If you’re eligible

Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.

4. If you’re on a low income in Scotland

The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2024.

Find out what to do if you did not get your discount for winter 2023 to 2024.

You do not need to apply if you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. You’ll automatically get a letter telling you about the discount if you’re eligible.

Otherwise, you’ll need to apply directly to your energy supplier.

You might be eligible if all of the following apply:

Your electricity supplier may have extra eligibility criteria. They’ll also tell you which benefits mean you are eligible.

This is known as being in the ‘broader group’.

If you’re eligible 

Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.

5. Energy suppliers

The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2024.

Find out what to do if you did not get your discount for winter 2023 to 2024.

The following suppliers are part of the scheme:

  • 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
  • Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
  • Boost
  • British Gas
  • Bulb Energy – see Octopus Energy
  • Co-op Energy - see Octopus Energy
  • E - also known as E (Gas and Electricity)
  • Ecotricity
  • E.ON Next
  • EDF
  • Good Energy
  • London Power
  • Octopus Energy
  • Outfox the Market
  • OVO
  • Rebel Energy
  • Sainsbury’s Energy
  • Scottish Gas – see British Gas
  • ScottishPower
  • Shell Energy Retail
  • So Energy
  • Tomato Energy
  • TruEnergy
  • Utilita
  • Utility Warehouse

If your supplier is no longer trading

If the electricity supplier you were with stops trading, you may still be eligible for a Warm Home Discount. Ofgem will appoint your new supplier for you.

Check with your new supplier if you’re eligible for the discount.

6. If you did not get your discount for winter 2023 to 2024

Contact your electricity supplier if both the following apply:

  • you did not get your discount by 31 March 2024

  • you have confirmation you were eligible for the scheme for winter 2023 to 2024

You’ll have confirmation if you:

  • got a letter from the Warm Home Discount Scheme saying you were eligible
  • were told you were eligible by the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline
  • were told you were eligible when you applied to your electricity supplier (if you’re on a low income in Scotland)

If your electricity supplier cannot help

Write to the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you have confirmation you were eligible but your supplier could not give you the discount.

You should include:

  • your name, address and date of birth

  • the reference number from your confirmation letter, if you have one

  • the name of your electricity supplier and your account number

  • the name of the person on the electricity bill on 13 August 2023 (if it is different to yours)

Write to:

110552 Warm Home Discount Scheme
PO Box 26965
Glasgow
G1 9BW