The UK government has many support schemes to help UK citizens with energy costs due to the cold weather. The Warm Home Discount Scheme lowers the electricity and gas bill of eligible UK citizens.
The scheme lowers the financial burden on UK citizens and saves money from the energy cost that increases to survive winter. Eligible UK citizens can expect the Warm Home Discount payment this year. People wondering about the Warm Home Discount payment can check every detail here.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
The UK government offers one-off payments to help eligible households struggling with their energy bills during the cold winter through the Warm Home Discount scheme. With extreme winter, the energy costs generally increase for the citizens as they need it to warm their homes and survive the extreme weather.
With schemes like cold weather payment, the Warm Home Discount offers financial relief to the citizens and helps them reduce their energy bills during winter months. According to scheme guidelines, the eligible citizens will receive a rebate of £150 to reduce their energy bills.
The Department of Work and Pension processes the Warm Home Discount before the end of March 2025, the end of cold winters. Some citizens can expect the discount in Feb 2025 as well because authorities try to provide relief as soon as possible and lower the financial burden on the citizens.
Who can get the benefit of the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
According to the Warm Home Discount Scheme guidelines, people who meet the following eligibility conditions on 11 August 2024 can get the benefit of this scheme:
- The Core Group 1 involves people who have Guarantee credit or Pension Credit.
- As the scheme depends on where you live, so if you live in Wales and England is Core Group 2, you qualify for the benefit either when you have the guaranteed credit element of Pension Credit, or you have high energy costs and earn a low income do not meet the high energy costs;
- If you live in Scotland you are in a broader group, you must receive the Guarantee Credit element, earn a low income, and meet the energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme;
- If you live in the Park (mobile) home, you can apply for the Warm Home Discount;
- You can also qualify for the scheme if you have a pay-as-you-go and pre-pay electric meter and the electric supplier tells you you are eligible, you may get the discount.
Exclusion:
- Northern Ireland residents are excluded from the Warm Home Discount scheme as there are other affordable schemes in the region.
Supplier Participating in Warm Home Discount Scheme
According to the Warm Home Discount scheme, the discount is available when citizens receive the energy supply from the participating suppliers. The participating suppliers of the Warm Home Discount scheme are:
- British Gas
- Affect Energy
- Bulb Energy
- Boost
- 100Green
- Co-op Energy
- E- Gas and Electricity
- EDF
- E.ON Next
- Ecotricity
- Good Energy
- Fuse Energy
- Home Energy
- Octopus Energy
- London Power
- OVO
- Outfox Energy
- Rebel Energy
- Scottish Gas
- Shell Energy Retail
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Power
- So Energy
- Utilita
- Tomotao Energy
- Utility Warehouse
- TruEnergy
How can you apply for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
Under the scheme, the electricity supplier applies for you when you are eligible for the scheme. According to the scheme guidelines, the eligible citizens will receive a letter from the DWP between October 2024 and January 2025 if they are eligible for the scheme, or if they are eligible for the scheme but need to present more information to the DWP.
With the letter, it will be confirmed you do not need to do anything to receive the discount automatically to your electricity account. However, if you do not receive the letter by early January 2025, and you think you are eligible for the scheme, you must contact the authority before 28 Feb 2025.
You can contact the authority that oversees the Warm Home Discount scheme through the following ways:
- By call: You can call the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline between Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM at 0800 030 9322. The call may charge you a penny depending on your landline/ mobile number and the place where you live.
- You can also write the authority about your eligibility and not receiving the letter at the following postal address:
- Warm Home Discount Scheme
- PO Box 14127
- Selkirk
- TD7 9AH
How will you receive the Warm Home Discount?
The eligible UK household who qualifies for the Warm Home Discount should know that payment will not made to your account, in fact, you will receive the payment directly to your electricity account which will reduce your electricity bills.
If you receive the gas and electricity from the same participating supplier, you will receive a discount for both the them. The household with a pay-as-you-go meter will receive the payout in the form of a voucher that they can use to top up their electric meter at the Post Office and offset their bill.
The households with Pay as You Go smart meters will receive the credit directly to their meter as a credit and you will get an email that will inform you about the sent credit, if the authority can’t proceed with the credit in time, they will send the voucher for top up the meter.
The eligible UK households who have received the letter ot appeal it to the authority can expect the payment reflected into their electricity account or pay as you smart meter or voucher before 31 March 2025.