What is the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off discount on your electricity bill, which is re-opening at the end of October 2025. It’s intended to help people living on a low income or on a pension with the cost of energy bills during the winter. Eligible households will get £150 off their bill.

If you’re eligible and if your energy supplier participates in the Warm Home Discount scheme, you’ll receive the discount off your energy account automatically.

How you get the Warm Home Discount will likely depend on how you pay for your electricity. However much you pay, the £150 will typically be discounted from your bill between October 2025 and March 2026.

The discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. If you are eligible, you will receive the discount in addition to the Cold Weather Payment and Winter Fuel Payment.

In England and Wales you are eligible to receive the discount if you either:

• get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.

• Or receive certain means-tested benefits .

You may be eligible to receive the discount off your gas and electricity if your energy company supplies you with both. You will need to contact your energy company directly to find out if you’re eligible.

Check if you’re eligible for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales online.

In Scotland you are eligible to receive the discount if you either:

• get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.

• Receive certain means-tested benefits and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme.

Check whether you’re eligible for the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland.
In Northern Ireland, there is a similar scheme called the Affordable Warmth scheme. Find out about the Affordable Warmth scheme.

If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you’ll be part of ​‘core group 1’ in England and Wales (or known as the ​‘core group’ in Scotland). All of the following criteria must have applied to you during the qualifying date of 24 August 2025:

• Your name (or your partner’s name) is written on the electricity bill

• Your energy supplier is part of the Warm Home Discount scheme

• You or your partner are getting the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit

If you’re on a low income in England and Wales, you may still be eligible for the Warm Home Discount if you don’t fall into the ​‘core group 1’ category. 

All of the following criteria must have applied to you during the qualifying date of 24 August 2025:

• You (or your partner) are on certain means-tested benefits

• Your energy supplier is part of the scheme

• Your name (or your partner’s name) is on the electricity bill

Which means-tested benefits are included? 

• 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

If you live in Scotland and get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, then you won’t need to apply for the Warm Home Discount as you’ll automatically get a letter if you’re eligible. 

If you’re on a low income in Scotland, you’ll need to apply directly through your energy supplier’s scheme. 

You may qualify if: 

• Your energy supplier is part of the scheme

• You (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits

• Your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill

The energy supplier may also have extra criteria – contact them directly for more information.

You can still be eligible for the discount if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter.

Contact your energy supplier to find out how they will provide you with the discount, for example, you may be provided with a voucher you can use to top up your meter.

You should automatically receive the Warm Home Discount if you are eligible. You will receive a letter through the post with information about the discount. Then, your electricity supplier will automatically apply the deduction to your energy account.

You will only receive the discount if your energy supplier participates in the Warm Home Discount scheme. Find out which energy suppliers participate in the scheme.