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 every year. This year, 2.7 million more households will be eligible to get it, meaning more than 6 million households in England, Scotland and Wales qualify for the discount.

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. Energy suppliers open their application process in September or October. 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. 

In England and Wales? You should get it automatically if you're eligible

After another shake-up of the Warm Home Discount scheme this year, all households in England and Wales who are receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit should get the discount automatically, as long as your supplier is part of the scheme. 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?

If you're in England or Wales, you should get it automatically if you received one the following means-tested benefits AND you were named on your electricity account or bill on 24 August 2025 (the qualifying date for the payment):

• Housing Benefit

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

• Income Support

• Pension Credit

• Universal Credit.

If you're eligible, you should receive a letter by early January 2026 confirming this. The letter will also tell you if you'll get it automatically, or if you need to provide more information, but be wary of scams.

If you need help, or haven't received your letter by early January and think you're eligible, you can call the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. You must contact the helpline by 28 February 2026.

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 2025 and March 2026, as long as you were named on your electricity account or bill by the qualifying date (24 August 2025).
  

• 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 Scotland? Most still need to apply

In Scotland, many households still 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 are now open 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 electricity bill before the 'qualifying date' – which for this winter was 24 August 2025. This is known as the 'core group'. 
  

  You should get a letter between October and December letting you know when to expect your discount - be wary of scams. 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 2026.

• On certain benefits? You may qualify, but you MUST APPLY. If you don't get the 'guarantee element' of Pension Credit, you can still apply providing you get certain benefits under what's known as the 'broader group' criteria. The following benefits entitle you to apply:

  • Housing Benefit

  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

  • Income Support

  • Pension Credit

  • Universal Credit.

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.

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.

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, and you need to apply via the Charis Grant website. 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 £20,328/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 £1,694 for at least one relevant assessment period

• Child/Working Tax Credits and income below the £20,328/year

• 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 2026.

Beware of scams

If you're eligible for the Warm Home Discount, you'll receive a physical letter from the Government confirming this. If you receive any emails, calls or texts requesting information in relation to your eligibility for the Warm Home Discount these are scams, so never click links or share your bank details. If you’re unsure if your letter is genuine, call the official helpline on 0800 030 9322. You can find out more on how to tell if your letter is genuine in our news story.

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.