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Your Guide to the Warm Home Discount Scheme

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By Imogen Ford

4 Oct 2024

For more information on how we can support you with your energy bills, visit our dedicated Support page.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a programme run by the government and most energy suppliers in the UK to help households living in or at risk of fuel poverty. It provides financial support amounting to £150 per eligible household – find out how you’ll receive your payment below.

It now works differently depending on the country you live in, so we’ve broken it down for you below.

For our customers in England and Wales

In England and Wales, we can provide the Warm Home Discount for the following two groups of people: Core Group 1: Customers who receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.

Core Group 2: Customers on low income who receive certain means-tested benefits or Tax Credits and have high energy costs, who do not fall into Core Group 1.

Note: Core Group 2 used to be called the ‘Broader Group’ in England and Wales.

The means-tested benefits that provide eligibility include:

Income Support.

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Income-related Employment & Support Allowance.
Housing Benefit.
Universal Credit.
Child Tax Credit.
Working Tax Credits.
Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC).

To find out if you’re eligible for either core group, check out the Government’s DWP Warm Home Discount Scheme website.

If you are eligible, the DWP will tell us, and you’ll receive the payment automatically on your bill by the end of March 2025, so long as you’re named on the energy account.

If you think you’re eligible, but the DWP haven’t sent you a letter by the end of December, please call the government’s Warm Home Discount helpline – you can find more information here. Please be advised we can only provide the Warm Home Discount if we’re notified by the DWP – we’re not able to accept direct requests.

For our customers in Scotland

Core Group 1: Customers who receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. The DWP will tell us if you’re eligible and we’ll apply the payment automatically to your bill by March 2025.

Please be advised we can only provide the Warm Home Discount to Core Group customers if we’re notified by the DWP – we’re not able to accept direct requests. If you think you’re eligible, you can find more information here.

Broader Group: Customers who receive at least one of these means-tested benefits:

Income Support.
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (IR ESA) which includes a support component.
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (IR ESA) where you’re a member of the work-related activity group.
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Housing Benefit.
Universal Credit where your monthly income was less than £1,665 in one or more months since 1 October 2023.
Child Tax Credit, awarded based on an annual household income of less than £19,978.

Please be advised you will need to apply for the Warm Home Discount Scheme through DWP if you fall under the Broader Group in Scotland.

Receiving your Warm Home Discount Scheme credit

Credit meters

The credit will automatically be applied to your energy account and come off your next bill.

Traditional Pay As You Go meters

You’ll receive a voucher by email or in the post with instructions on how to activate the credit.

Smart Pay As You Go meters

The credit will automatically be applied to your meter.

If you’ve since left us

We’ll send you a refund by BACS or cheque. If you have a balance outstanding on your account, then it will go towards reducing what you owe.

If you were with another supplier on or before 11th August 2024

You will receive the credit from your previous supplier.

All eligible households will receive this by the end of March 2025.

We also have some free extra support available if you need further help

Priority Services – this is available for customers with specific requirements such as a health concern, a disability, or children under the age of 5 at your property. We can offer priority support in an emergency, advance notice of planned power cuts (where possible) and a regular meter reading service. You can register on our website here or give our team a call on 0345 555 7100.
Warm Home Discount Scheme – if you’re eligible, you’ll receive £150 credit onto your energy account, PAYG smart meter or prepayment top up card by the end of March 2025. For more information, please visit www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme or call their helpline on 0800 030 9322.
Citizens Advice and Advice Direct Scotland – these are the official sources of free and independent energy advice, and they can refer you directly to the Extra Help Unit if you need additional support. If you live in England or Wales, go to citizensadvice.org.uk/energy or contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133. If you live in Scotland, go to energyadvice.scot or contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 196 8660. Calls are free.
Relay UK – this is a service to help people with speech or hearing impairment communicate over the phone. For more information, go to https://www.relayuk.bt.com/.
For British Sign Language enquiries, go to contactscotland-bsl.org.
Household Support Fund – you can get help from your local council with essential living costs, such as food, energy and water bills. Find out more here https://www.gov.uk/cost-living-help-local-council