What Is the Warm Home Discount?
The scheme gives eligible households £150 towards their energy costs from October. It’s available to millions of households in England, Scotland and Wales. Usually, the £150 is deducted from your electricity bill, but you may be able to get a discount on your gas bill instead, it just depends if you get gas and electricity from the same supplier.
Who Gets the Warm Home Discount?
To qualify in England and Wales, you need to claim either the guaranteed credit element of pension credit or one of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Universal Credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credit
If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits by mid-August 2024, you won’t be eligible for the payment.
To find out which other benefits you could be eligible for, use our free, online benefits calculator.
The scheme is not available in Northern Ireland and differs slightly in Scotland, click here for more details.
How Will the Warm Home Discount Be Paid?
How you get the discount depends on how you pay for your electricity. However you pay, the £150 will be a discount on your bill, not a cash payment.
If you’re on a standard credit or smart prepayment meter, the £150 will automatically be added as a credit to your electricity account sometime between October 2024 and March 2025.
If you’re on a prepayment metre, you’ll receive a top-up voucher, by post, email or text, though some may receive a cheque. You’ll need to redeem the voucher at the Post Office or a PayPoint shop.
Need Help With Your Energy Bills?
With rising energy bills in October and many struggling already, it’s important to know that there is still help available.
If you are struggling with your energy bills, your first response should be to contact your provider. They can, and should, pull together a payment plan that you can afford and may be able to provide access to hardship funds.
If you are still struggling to meet your energy bills or other household costs, there is help available. The Government’s Help For Households lists all of the support available for the cost of living in one convenient place.
Alternatively, if you have fallen behind with your energy bills you can seek online debt advice using our online debt advice tool. Or contact our team via email, phone or WhatsApp today.
