Warm Home Discount Scheme
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1. Overview
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:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income and have high energy costs
If you live in Scotland
You qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income in Scotland and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme
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.
2. If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
You qualify for the discount if all of the following applied on 11 August 2024:
- your energy supplier is part of the scheme
- your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill
- you or your partner are getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)
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:
How to get the discount
You’ll get a letter between October 2024 and early January 2025 if:
- you’re eligible for the scheme
- you might be eligible for the scheme, but you need to give more information
If you’re eligible for the scheme, your letter will confirm you do not need to do anything. You’ll receive the discount automatically.
If you need to give more information, your letter will tell you to call the helpline by 28 February 2025 to confirm your details.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2025.
If you do not get a letter
Contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you do not get the letter by early January 2025 and you think you’re eligible.
You must contact them before 28 February 2025.
Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline
Telephone: 0800 030 9322
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
Warm Home Discount Scheme
PO Box 14127
Selkirk
TD7 9AH
3. If you’re on a low income in England and Wales
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 all of the following applied on 11 August 2024:
- 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.
Check if you’re eligible for the discount online.
How to get the discount
You’ll get a letter between October 2024 and early January 2025 if:
- you’re eligible for the scheme
- you might be eligible for the scheme, but you need to give more information
If you’re eligible for the scheme, your letter will confirm you do not need to do anything. You’ll receive the discount automatically.
If you need to give more information, your letter will tell you to call the helpline by 28 February 2025 to confirm your details.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2025.
If you do not get a letter
Contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you do not get the letter by early January 2025 and you think you’re eligible.
You must contact them before 28 February 2025.
Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline
Telephone: 0800 030 9322
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
Warm Home Discount Scheme
PO Box 14127
Selkirk
TD7 9AH
4. If you’re on a low income in Scotland
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 energy supplier is part of the scheme
- you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
- your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill
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’.
How to get the discount
Contact your electricity supplier to check if you’re eligible and to apply. They will decide who gets the discount in Scotland.
You cannot apply for the discount by contacting the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
The number of discounts suppliers can give is limited. Contact them as early as possible. Check with them even if you were eligible for a discount last year.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2025. You’ll need to stay with your supplier until it’s paid.
5. Energy suppliers
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
- Fuse Energy
- Good Energy
- Home 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.