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Warm home discount
Get £150 off your energy bill each winter
Updated 10 September 2024
Under the Warm Home Discount scheme, you could get £150 off your electricity bill each winter. We've full info below on who qualifies, if you need to apply, and when it's paid.
Also see: Energy Bills Help | Energy Saving Tips | Low Income Grants | Energy Grants | Debt help
The Warm Home Discount scheme for 2024/25 will open in October 2024, although some suppliers are already accepting applications for those in Scotland (if you need to apply).
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount scheme gives eligible households £150 towards their energy costs every year. It's available to millions of households in England, Scotland and Wales.
The £150 is typically deducted from your electricity bill, but you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead, as long as your supplier provides both your gas and electricity. You'll need to contact your supplier to find out if the discount can be applied to your gas bill instead.
There's one scheme for England and Wales, and a different scheme for Scotland. In England and Wales, most should now get it automatically, but if you're in Scotland, some will need to apply – and several suppliers are now open for applications, so go quick.
There is no equivalent scheme in Northern Ireland, but see our Northern Ireland energy guide for other support you can get and tips for cutting your bills.
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In England and Wales? You should get it automatically if you're eligible
After a shake-up of the Warm Home Discount scheme in 2022, households in England and Wales who are eligible should get the discount automatically – previously, some had to apply.
To get the Warm Home Discount, your supplier needs to offer it, plus you need to meet the eligibility criteria. So check the following...
Step 1: Does your supplier offer the Warm Home Discount?
The following suppliers are part of the scheme. If you're not with one of these suppliers, you won't get the WHD, even if you qualify in step 2...
- Outfox the Market
- Ovo Energy
- Rebel Energy
- Sainsbury's Energy
- Scottish Power
- So Energy
- Tomato Energy
- Tru Energy
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
- 100Green (previously Green Energy UK)
Step 2: Are you (and your home) eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
If you're in England or Wales, you should get it automatically if:
- You get the 'guarantee element' of Pension Credit. If you or your partner were receiving guarantee credit on 11 August 2024, and your name (or your partner's) is on your energy bill, you should qualify for the discount as part of what's known as 'core group 1'. If this is you, see how and when you'll get the warm home discount payment.
- You are on certain benefits AND have "high energy costs". If you receive certain means-tested benefits, such as Income Support or Universal Credit, you may qualify for the discount as part of what's known as 'core group 2' (see the table below for which benefits count). You must have been receiving the qualifying benefit on 11 August 2024.
Yet you also need to have "high energy costs" and that's a bit more complex. You can check if you're eligible to receive the discount using the Government's Warm Home Discount online tool (available from October) or see 'high energy costs' explained.
Benefit |
Winter 2024/25 (i) |
| Attendance allowance | No |
| Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits (ii) | Yes |
| Disability living allowance | No |
| Housing Benefit | Yes |
| Income-related employment and support allowance | Yes |
| Income-based jobseeker's allowance | Yes |
| Income Support | Yes |
| Personal independence payment | No |
| Pension Credit guarantee credit | Yes |
| Pension Credit savings credit | Yes |
| Universal Credit | Yes |
(i) You needed to be in receipt of one of the benefits above on the qualifying date (11 August 2024. If your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may also become eligible for the £150. You also need to have "high energy costs" to qualify for the new scheme. (ii) Provided your household income is below a certain level (there's no set limit, it depends on your circumstances).
What are "high energy costs"?
To work out if your home has high energy costs, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and energy suppliers will look at data on the age, type (for example, semi-detached or detached), and floor area of your property, to decide if it's likely to be expensive to heat, or how energy-efficient it is.
If the VOA is missing information, it may use your energy performance certificate (EPC) – assuming you have one. Each year, the Government will set out what the criteria for "high energy usage" will be.
Yet many older homes don't have an EPC, and paying to get one would cost you most of the £150 rebate. MSE and Martin Lewis have previously raised this issue with former conservative Government and it agreed to accept expired EPCs last winter. We'll update this guide if this changes for 2024/25.
You could be asked to prove your eligibility
If the DWP doesn't have enough data, it may ask you to provide documents to prove you're eligible for the rebate. This may include:
- An energy bill in your name, which covers the qualifying date
- A Tax Credit certificate for the current tax year, which shows your income and the number of adults and children included in your assessment
- Proof of the DWP benefits you receive
How to challenge the decision
If you think your energy costs assessment isn't accurate, you can usually challenge it by getting in touch with the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322 or in writing. The helpline will close to new claims on 28 February 2025.
The helpline will use data from your home's EPC (such as type, age and floor area, but not its rating) which it can access online. The helpline can also use an expired EPC to recalculate your home's eligibility. If no EPC is available, it can use Land Registry data (though there's a £3 fee) or you can get an EPC at your own expense, but there's no guarantee the cost of doing this will be worthwhile.
Quick question
How and when will I get the £150?
How you get the discount depends on how you pay for your electricity. However you pay, the £150 will almost always be a discount on your bill, not a cash payment.
- If you're on a standard credit or smart prepayment meter. You should get the £150 automatically added as credit on your electricity account sometime between October 2024 and March 2025. You should have received a letter by now, confirming your discount.
- If you're on a traditional prepayment meter. You should be sent a top-up voucher, by post, email or text, though some may receive a cheque. You have 90 days to redeem the voucher, but your supplier can reissue it if you lose it or it expires. You'll need to redeem the voucher at the Post Office or a PayPoint shop. In most cases, you'll need proof of identity, such as your passport or driving licence.
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Live in Scotland? Most still need to apply
In Scotland, many households need to apply to get the £150 Warm Home Discount.
Payments are made on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limited pot of cash to give out. So you need to apply as soon as possible each year to ensure you don't miss out. Some suppliers have now closed for applications, so go quick if you think you're eligible.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility is split into two groups, but only some get the rebate automatically:
- If you get the 'guarantee element' of Pension Credit, it should come automatically. To be eligible for the automatic payment, you or your partner will need to receive the 'guarantee credit' element of Pension Credit, and your name (or your partner's) will need to be on your energy bill as of the 'qualifying date' – which for this winter is 11 August 2024. This is known as the 'core group'.
You should get a letter between October and December letting you know when to expect your discount. If you need help, or haven't received your letter by early January, you can call the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. You must contact the helpline by 28 February 2025.
- On certain benefits? You may qualify, but you MUST APPLY. If you don't get Pension Credit, you can still apply providing you get certain benefits under what's known as the 'broader group' criteria. The following benefits and conditions entitle you to apply:
- Universal Credit. You'll qualify if your earnings are below £1,665 a month, in at least one assessment period, AND either you have parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who usually lives with you, or you have 'limited capability for work' or 'limited capability for work and work-related activity', or your Universal Credit has a disabled child element.
- Child Tax Credit. If your annual income is less than £19,978 AND either you have parental responsibility for a child under five who usually lives with you, or your Child Tax Credit has a disability element, or you get a disabled child premium, you'll qualify.
- Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance. If you have parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who usually lives with you OR you get Child Tax Credits with a disability element, a disabled child premium, a disability premium or a pensioner premium, you'll qualify.
Yet suppliers can choose to offer the discount to more customers based on additional criteria – so it's worth checking directly with your supplier to see if you might be eligible. These are the suppliers currently accepting applications – follow the link to your supplier to apply...
Applications OPEN NOWClick on the supplier's name to apply |
| British Gas / Scottish Gas |
| Rebel Energy |
| Ovo / Boost |
| So Energy |
| Utilita |
| Utility Warehouse |
Not yet open for this year |
| E.on Next |
| EDF Energy |
| Octopus Energy |
| Sainsbury's Energy - call 0808 501 5277 |
| Scottish Power |
Table correct as of 10 September 2024. 100Green also provide the warm home discount but only to households eligible under the 'core group', which means you can't apply for these suppliers' schemes.
Live in a park home? You need to apply
If you permanently live in a park home in England, Wales or Scotland, you probably don't have a direct electricity account with a UK energy company. But that doesn't mean you can't get the Warm Home Discount. If eligible, you'll get £150 into your bank account to help towards your winter fuel bill.
The scheme is managed by Charis Grants on behalf of energy suppliers. You need to apply via the Charis Grants website. Funding is limited and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure you apply as early as possible to receive each year.
Who is eligible for the park homes Warm Home Discount?
Anyone living in a park home in England, Wales or Scotland and receiving Pension Credit will qualify for the £150 payment.
Others can qualify if you receive one of the following benefits:
Eligibility for park homes Warm Home Discount
| You'll need to be in receipt of one of the following: | TABLE_CELL_STYLE | You'll need to have one of the following: |
|
- Income Support - Income-based jobseeker's allowance - Income-related employment & support allowance - Universal Credit - Child Tax Credits (and income below the qualifying amount (last year this was £18,723/year) (1) - Household income (before tax and deductions) less than the qualifying amount (last year this was £18,723/year) (1) |
TABLE_CELL_STYLE TABLE_CELL_STYLE TABLE_CELL_STYLE TABLE_CELL_STYLE PLUS |
In receipt of: - state pension - disabled child element of Universal Credit or Child Tax Credits - disability or pensioner premiums - disability benefits
Or: - deemed to have limited capability for work (as part of Universal Credit) - responsible for a child under 18 years of age - in possession of a medical or maternity exemption certificate |
Correct September 2024 (1) We'll update this guide when we have this year's figure.
When you apply, you'll need to provide details of the benefits you receive, plus income details for you and other members of your household.
How will the £150 be paid?
If you're eligible, Charis Grants will request your bank or building society details (account number and sort code) which you can usually find on your debit card. It'll then make a bank payment to you by 31 March 2025.
Other grants and ways to cut your energy bill
We've a host of MoneySaving tips to help you pay less for energy...
- Pay energy bills by direct debit, if you can. Fixed monthly direct debit payments – where you pay a fixed estimate each month – could save you 5% to 10% compared to paying every quarter. See Energy Direct Debits Help for more info.
- Check if you can get a free boiler or insulation. There are wads of freebies or grants from energy providers, from help with new boiler costs to free loft and cavity wall insulation. It's all part of their efficiency obligations to people in certain groups. It's mainly for those receiving certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, Tax Credits, Pension Credit or income-based benefits.
See Great British Insulation Scheme guide for more info.
- Use less energy. There are lots of way to reduce what you use. Check our 60+ energy savers checklist for pain-free changes, such as turning down your thermostat or tweaking your boiler's flow temperature. Also, see our Heat the human and Energy mythbusters guides for more tips.
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