Warm home discount shake-up in Scotland could see an extra 50,000 homes benefit - here are the details

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has today (9 May 2022) launched a consultation on the WHD scheme in Scotland in a bid to expand the current arrangement. 

The consultation, which will end on 22 May, proposes raising the amount of the rebate from £140 to £150 from winter 2022/2023, in line with England and Wales. In addition, the scheme will be extended to include smaller suppliers from winter 2023/24 - as will also be the case in England and Wales. BEIS estimates this means around 50,000 more households will benefit. Currently, only larger energy firms have to offer the discount.

The move follows changes to the scheme in England and Wales announced by the Government last month, which will see an additional 750,000 households receive the rebate. Those on housing benefit in England and Wales, which is a means-tested benefit, will now be able to claim.

But eligibility for the scheme in Scotland will differ from England and Wales

Under the recent shake-up to the scheme in England and Wales, those eligible for the WHD will be split into two groups - core group 1 and core group 2, from winter 2022/23. All those eligible will receive the benefit automatically without having to apply to their supplier. You can see a full list of who is and isn't eligible in our warm home discount MSE News story.

However, for Scotland, the Government is proposing to largely keep the eligibility rules that were in place last winter (2021/22), with eligibility split into a core group and a broader group:

• The core group will include those on guaranteed pension credit. Here, you should receive the rebate automatically (however you'll need to make sure your supplier is part of the scheme). 

• The broader group will also stay mostly the same and be made up of those on certain benefits. These benefits are as follows: child tax and working tax credits, income-related employment and support allowance, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income support and universal credit. Those on housing benefit in Scotland with a child under five or a disabled child will also now be included in the broader group, having previously been excluded. Here, you'll need to apply for the discount if your energy supplier offers it.

See our Housing and energy grants guide to find free cash for your home.