More people than ever are set to get a helping hand with their energy bills this winter, without needing to do anything.
The government has confirmed that around six million people will now receive the £150 Warm Home Discount, up from four million last year.
That means an extra two million households will benefit, including 900,000 families with children and 1.8 million homes in fuel poverty.
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is a £150 payment taken straight off your electricity bill.
You don’t get it as cash; instead, it’s automatically applied to your bill between October and March, so you don’t need to pay anything.
It’s been around since 2011, but the rules on who gets it have now been changed to include more people.
What’s changed?
Before, low-income households could only get the discount if their home was classed as having ‘high energy costs.’
This was decided using government data, and was not always clearly explained.
That rule has now been scrapped, meaning anyone on a low income (who meets the benefit criteria) should now qualify.
This change means thousands of households that were struggling before but didn’t quite meet the old requirements will now see some much-needed breathing space on their bills.
Who now qualifies?
You could get the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter if:
- You receive the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, or
- You’re on a low income and claiming certain benefits, such as:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit (in some cases)
And now you no longer need to prove your home has high energy costs. That’s the big change.
Your energy provider will still apply the payment automatically if you qualify.
There’s no form filling or phone calls needed.
When will it be paid?
The discount will be applied to eligible energy bills between October 2025 and March 2026.
It’ll show up as a one-off £150 credit on your electricity account (or gas, if you have the same supplier and they allow it).
What about Scotland?
In Scotland, the scheme works a bit differently.
You might still need to apply directly to your supplier if you’re on a low income. We’ll update this section when the new guidance is released for Scottish households.
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