Warm Home Discount

What is the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme that gives eligible households £150 towards their energy costs each year.

The £150 is typically deducted from your electricity bill, but you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides both your gas and electricity. You'll need to contact your supplier to request this.

There are slight differences in how the scheme works depending on where you live. If you're in England and Wales, you should get it automatically if you're eligible. In Scotland, most eligible households will now get it automatically too (following changes to the scheme this year), but there is still a 'Broader Group' who needs to apply. Similarly, if you live in a park home, you'll also need to apply.

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. 

Most eligible households should get it automatically

All households in England and Wales receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit should get the discount automatically between October 2026 and March 2027. After a shake-up to the scheme this year, most Scottish households should now get it automatically too, though the eligibility criteria are slightly stricter than those in England and Wales.

So check the following...

Step 1: Does your supplier offer the Warm Home Discount?

All suppliers with over 1,000 customers are required to offer the Warm Home Discount, so virtually all providers will (see the full list of participating providers to make sure yours does). If you're with one that doesn't, you won't get the Warm Home Discount, even if you qualify in step 2...

Step 2: Are you eligible for the Warm Home Discount?

You should get the discount automatically if you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit AND you (or your partner, or legal representative) were named on your electricity account or bill on 23 August 2026 (the qualifying date for the payment).

If you are eligible, you should get a letter telling you if you'll get it automatically, or if you need to provide more information in order to get the discount (be wary of scams). If you're unsure about anything, you can contact the Warm Home Discount helpline when it reopens.

The benefits you need to be in receipt of depends on where you live:

Scotland

• Pension Credit.

• Universal Credit - if you get a child or young person disability element, element, or if you or your partner are unemployed AND have a limited capability to work, or are responsible for a child under five.

In Scotland and not eligible to get it automatically? You may still be able to apply

For those in Scotland, if you're not eligible to get the Warm Home Discount automatically, you can still apply if you get certain benefits under what's known as the 'Broader Group' criteria. The following benefits entitle you to apply:

• Pension Age Disability Payment.

• Adult Disability Payment.

• Universal Credit.

• Income Support.

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA).

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

• Housing Benefits.

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 qualify.

Suppliers only need to offer a certain minimum amount of discounts to broader group applicants, and it's first come, first serve, so do check as soon as application open.

If you have applied for it, it's worth noting you WON'T get a letter confirming eligibility from Government. If you need help, you'll need to contact your supplier.

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 2026 and March 2027, as long as you (or your partner or legal representative) were named on your electricity account or bill by the qualifying date (23 August 2026).
  

• 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.

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. The scheme opens in September 2026, but you can register your interest here. Funding's limited and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure you apply as early as possible.

Who is eligible for the park homes Warm Home Discount?

Anyone permanently living in a park home in England, Wales or Scotland with a total household income (before tax and deductions) less than £21,091/year OR those in receipt of the one of the following benefits, will qualify for the £150 payment:

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

• Income-related Employment & Support Allowance

• Pension Credit

• Universal Credit with earned income of less than £1,758 for at least one relevant assessment period

• Housing Benefit (or Housing element if receiving Universal Credit)

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 2027.

Beware of scams

Other grants and ways to cut your energy bill

We've a host of MoneySaving tips to help you pay less for energy...

• Make sure you're getting all the help you qualify for. Use our free 10 minute benefit checker to see if you're missing out on any benefits or grants.

• You may automatically be eligible for other energy bills help this winter. Those who are eligible for the Warm Home Discount may also be eligible for the up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment, and cold weather payments. Check our guides for full details.

• 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.

• Switch to a cheaper energy tariff. Some households can save £100s on energy bills by switching to a cheaper supplier or tariff.

  Join our energy comparison site, the Cheap Energy Club to get a bespoke comparison of predicted costs over the next year, compared to switching. Full info on how to switch energy supplier in our guide.

• Get help from your supplier. Your energy supplier has to help if you're struggling to pay your energy bills. You can see a full run-down of what's available in our What to do if you're struggling with energy bills guide.

• Use less energy. There are lots of way to reduce what you use. Check our 70+ 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.