What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme - and is my supplier offering it?
What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme - and is my supplier offering it?The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a government initiative that offers households on a low income, or those that receive certain benefits, a one-off £150 discount on their electricity bill between October and March. The scheme is being operated through electricity suppliers, with the discount taken off bills rather than being paid directly to the customer.
Domestic electricity suppliers with more than 1,000 customers are required to be part of the scheme, which aims to help the most vulnerable over the winter months.
For those on a pre-paid meter, the supplier will generally issue a voucher. If you have the same supplier for both electricity and gas, you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead, although you have to check with the supplier.
What suppliers are part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
The suppliers participating in the 2023/24 Warm Home Discount Scheme include:
- 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
- Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
- Boost
- British Gas
- Bulb Energy – see Octopus Energy
- Co-op Energy - see Octopus Energy
- E - also known as E (Gas and Electricity)
- Ecotricity
- E.ON Next
- EDF
- Good Energy
- London Power
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox the Market
- OVO
- Rebel Energy
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Gas – see British Gas
- ScottishPower
- Shell Energy Retail
- So Energy
- Tomato Energy
- TruEnergy
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
The Warm Home Discount Scheme does not affect the Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
There are two levels of eligibility for the Warm Home Discount Scheme: if you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (core group/core group 1) or if you are on a low income and satisfy the individual supplier's criteria (broader group/core group 2).
How to apply if you are in the core group or core group 1
You should be eligible for the discount if you or your partner get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. This is referred to as 'core group 1' in England and Wales and 'core group' in Scotland. In addition to receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit you will also need to fulfil the following criteria:
- the energy supplier you were with on 13th August 2023 is part of the scheme
- your name (or your partner's name) is on the electricity bill
If you qualify for the scheme, you will receive a letter between October 2023 and January 2024 with guidance on how to access the discount. You may be asked to call a dedicated helpline before the 29th February 2024 to confirm your details, although you will be advised if that is the case.
The discount will be applied to your bill by 31st March 2024. If you believe you qualify but don't receive a letter by mid-January 2024, you can call the helpline by 29th February 2024 on 0800 030 9322.
How to apply if you are in the broader group or core group 2
You may be able to access the discount if you are on a low income, but how you get the discount varies depending on where you live. If you qualify in England and Wales, this is known as being in 'core group 2' and if you qualify in Scotland, this is referred to as the 'broader group'.
How to apply for the Warm Home Discount if you are on a low income in England and Wales
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales is dependent on whether the following applied on 13th August 2023:
- your energy supplier is part of the scheme
- your property has a high energy cost score based on its characteristics
- you receive certain means-tested benefits
- you or your partner's name is on the energy bill
If you are eligible for the discount you should receive a letter between October 2023 and January 2024 and the discount should be automatically applied to your energy bill by 31st March 2024. In some cases, you may be required to call a helpline to confirm your details. This should be done by 29th February 2024 but your letter will confirm what you need to do.
If you think you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount but have not received a letter, you can call 0800 030 9322 before 29th February 2024.
How to apply for the Warm Home Discount if you are on a low income in Scotland
Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount in Scotland is dependent on the following criteria:
- your energy supplier is part of the scheme
- you receive certain means-tested benefits
- you or your partner's name is on the energy bill
If you live in Scotland your energy supplier decides who gets the discount and this is on a first come first served basis because there are limited discounts available. Early application is advisable in order to not miss out on the discount. In some instances, your supplier may require you to meet additional criteria so you will need to enquire directly with your energy supplier. If you are successful in your application the discount will be applied automatically by 31st March 2024.
Qualifying means-tested benefits
In order to qualify for the Warm Home Discount under the broader group or core group 2, you have to receive at least one of the following means-tested benefits:
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- the 'Savings Credit' part of Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
You could also be eligible for the discount if you receive Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit. If you are unsure if you qualify for the Warm Home Discount scheme, you can check your eligibility on the government's website.
What happens if my energy company goes bust?
If your energy supplier is no longer operating, you will need to apply for the Warm Home Discount Scheme through your new energy supplier, when you are assigned one. If you are part of the core group, the new supplier will automatically take over the payment so you simply need to wait for them to contact you with details of how and when the discount will be applied.
Meanwhile, if you are in the broader group, you will need to apply through your new supplier, even if you have already made an application with your old supplier. Again, there are no guarantees you will be given the discount as each supplier has a limited amount of money set aside for the scheme and chooses who it gives it to.
