Full list of 27 energy suppliers offering £150 heating help before end of next month
The UK Government has said it expects around three million households to benefit from the Warm Home Discount Scheme this winter. The scheme is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and provides people on certain benefits with a £150 credit on their electricity bill.
However, it's important to be aware that the 20242/25 scheme closes on March 31 and people need to apply for this directly through their energy supplier before February 28 and not the DWP, who then pays the money directly to the energy provider. Eligibility rules changed in 2022, which means some people may no longer qualify and others might need to apply as they will not receive the discount automatically.
READ MORE: £150 Warm Home Discount could end next year for over three million households
There are over 25 energy suppliers supporting the Warm Home Discount Scheme, but to check if your provider is offering the scheme, visit their website and search 'Warm Home Discount'.
Following the rule change to Winter Fuel Payments, where only those over 66 in receipt of Pension Credit, Tax Credits or other means-tested benefits will be eligible for the annual lump sum of up to £300 (or £303 in Scotland), it’s crucial that people check before the March deadline if they need to claim the Warm Home Discount.
Eligible households may also be able to get the £150 discount applied to their gas bill instead - if their supplier provides them with both gas and electricity.
If you’re a credit customer the £150 will be added to your electricity account and if you’re on Pay As You Go or Prepayment, you’ll be sent a voucher that you can use to top-up your meter. Below is an overview of the scheme and the rules on eligibility.
Participating Energy Suppliers
The dedicated Warm Home Discount Scheme pages with the full list of participating suppliers is available on GOV.UK
These includes:
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
Fuse Energy
Good Energy
Home 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
Do I qualify for the £150 Warm Home Discount?
To qualify for the £150 credit, you need to have been in claim for one of the qualifying scenarios on August 11, 2024. A full guide to eligibility can be found on GOV.UK here.
People living in Scotland
If you live in Scotland, you qualify if you either:
get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the ‘core group’
are on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme - known as the ‘broader group’
How you apply for the Warm Home Discount Scheme depends on how you qualify for the discount.
People living in England and Wales
If you live in England and Wales, you qualify if you either:
get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as ‘core group 1’
are on a low income and have high energy costs - known as ‘core group 2’
In both eligibility groups, DWP will make an assessment of your energy costs based on the property you live in. They will then write to you and confirm if you are eligible from November.
If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
You qualify for the Warm Home Discount if, on the qualifying date in August, all of the following applied:
your energy supplier is part of the scheme
your name (or your partner’s) is on the bill
you or your partner are getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)
This is known as being in the ‘core group’ in Scotland and being in the ‘core group 1’ in England and Wales.
How to get the £150 discount
The scheme is open until March 31, 2025.
You should have received a letter before the end of January telling you about the discount if you’re eligible. Most eligible households will receive an automatic discount, but some may have to apply - check with your supplier.
Your letter will say if you need to call a helpline by February 28 to confirm your details. If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2025.
Scotland - if you’re on a low income
If you do not get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit you may be able to apply directly to your electricity supplier.
All the following must apply:
your energy supplier is part of the scheme
you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
your name (or your partner’s) is on the bill
DWP advises that your supplier may have additional criteria so you need to check with them if you’re eligible.
Qualifying benefits - Scotland
The qualifying means-tested benefits are:
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
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
In Scotland, your electricity supplier decides who can get the discount.
The number of discounts suppliers can give is limited, so check with your supplier as early as possible to see if you’re eligible and how to apply. Check with them even if you were eligible for the Warm Home Discount last year.
If you are eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2025.
England and Wales - if you’re on a low income
If you do not get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you may still be eligible if, on the qualifying date, all of the following apply:
your energy supplier is part of the scheme
you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
your property has a high energy cost score based on its characteristics
your name (or your partner’s) is on the bill
Qualifying benefits England and Wales
The qualifying means-tested benefits are:
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
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
The scheme for ‘core group 2’ opens in October, you will receive a letter before January 2025 telling you about the discount if you’re eligible.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2025.
Warm Home Discount for Park / Mobile Homes
You apply a different way if you live in a park home and the application scheme for 2024/25 is open.
The Charis Park Homes Warm Home Discount is an Ofgem regulated, multi-supplier initiative which this year is being generously funded by E.ON Next, Utilita, OVO and Rebel Energy.
There are an estimated 110,000 park home and static caravan residential addresses across Scotland, England and Wales. These residents, who pay site owners for their electricity usage, are often elderly and retired and while they are often on low incomes many have, in the past, missed out on financial support.
Charis has partnered with Lightning Reach to host the online application form. People who want help with making an application can contact the Charis customer support team during normal working hours.
Due to the limited nature of the funding, applications are assessed on a first come, first served basis, and once all funding is allocated, the scheme will be closed.
Find out more about the Park Homes Warm Home Discount here.
You can find out more about the Warm Home Discount Scheme on the GOV.UK website here.
