The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that this year’s Warm Home Discount Scheme will help around three million households across Scotland, England and Wales. It’s important to be aware that the £150 payment is issued directly to participating energy suppliers where it is credited to the claimant’s electricity account and is not a cash lump sum.
The DWP has announced that the Warm Home Discou nt helpline is now open (0800 030 9322), offering help to those with any queries about the annual payment. This might be especially useful for those claiming for the first time, or people unsure if their benefit entitles them to the winter heating bill support.
DWP also confirmed that the qualifying date for this year’s payment was August 11, 2024. DWP explained: “Recipients of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit will be eligible for a Warm Home Discount in England, Wales and Scotland if they are a named account holder with a participating electricity supplier.”
DWP continued: “Recipients of other means-tested benefits, including Tax Credits, may also be eligible for a Warm Home Discount in England and Wales if they meet the government’s criteria relating to home energy costs, which is determined by property characteristics.
“People living in Scotland and in receipt of certain other benefits may be able to claim a discount directly from their energy supplier.”
DWP also confirmed that letters will be issued to “eligible and potentially eligible citizens by mid-January with more information”.
Below is a brief overview of this year’s Warm Home Discount Scheme, full details are available on GOV.UK here.
Participating Energy Suppliers
The dedicated Warm Home Discount Scheme pages on GOV.Uk with the list of participating suppliers has now been updated.
Participating energy suppliers:
- 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?
The guidance for winter 2024/25 has now been updated by DWP on GOV.UK and confirms that the qualifying date for this year’s payment was August 11, 2024.
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 – full details on GOV.UK here.
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 on August 11, 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 now open across Great Britain. Most people in England and Wales will receive a letter automatically from the DWP between October and mid-January advising them if they are eligible for the scheme. This letter will confirm whether or not they need to apply for it.
Scotland – if you’re on a low income (broader group)
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 (core group 2)
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
This is known as being in the ‘core group 2’.
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 now 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.