What is it?

The Warm Home Discount provides a rebate on your electricity bill if you live in England, Wales or Scotland.

The amount will be a one-off rebate of £150 in the winter of 2023/24. Between 2011 and 2022 the amount was £140 and the eligibility rules were different in England and Wales.

Can I get it?

Your electricity supplier must be part of the Warm Home Discount scheme in order for you to receive the rebate but the vast majority of suppliers do take part.

Yours or your partner's name should be on the supply bill from your electricity provider, and the address you're claiming for should be your sole or main residence.

The other eligibility rules are slightly different based on your circumstances and where you live - these are explained below.

Core Group 1 (Core Group in Scotland)

If you received the guarantee element of Pension Credit on 13 August 2023 you should automatically receive a rebate from your electricity supplier without needing to make a claim.

You'll receive a letter before the end of the year confirming your discount and it should automatically be applied to your bill by the end of March 2024 without you needing to make a claim.

Core Group 2 (Broader Group in Scotland)

Live in England and Wales?

If you received one of the means-tested benefits below on 13 August 2023 you should automatically receive a rebate from your electricity supplier without needing to make a claim.

Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income Support
Housing Benefit
Universal Credit
Child Tax Credits (as long as your household income is below a set amount, as described below)
Working Tax Credits (as long as your household income is below a set amount, as described below)
Pension Credit Savings Credit

Note: eligibility to a disability benefit only no longer provides automatic access to the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales, as it previously did in some of the energy providers' schemes.

Income thresholds for tax credits are based on who lives in the household, as follows:

	No children	1 child	2 children	3 children	4 or more children
Single adult	£17,668	£22,942	£28,215	£33,489	£38,763
2 adults or more	£26,369	£31,643	£36,917	£42,191	£47,465

Your home also needs to meet the 'high energy cost score'.

To determine if your home has high energy costs, data matching will take place between government departments such as the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and energy suppliers. The data will look at your property’s type, age and floor area to decide if your home is likely to be expensive to heat or have low energy efficiency. If you have one, an Energy Performance Certificate can be used if VOA information is missing.

The high energy cost score changes each year so that households with the highest energy costs should be eligible. This means your property may not be eligible every year.

If you are eligible you will receive a letter before the end of the year confirming your discount and it should automatically be applied to your bill by the end of March 2024 without you needing to make a claim.

In the past you needed to apply and the pot of money from your electricity supplier may have run out by the time you contacted them but this is no longer the case.

Live in Scotland?

You don't need to meet the high energy cost score that is applied to homes in England and Wales but your supplier may have additional criteria, which can be different for each company. Check with your supplier to see if you’re eligible. 

You won't automatically receive a rebate from your electricity supplier and you need to make a claim even if you received the rebate last year. Do this as soon as possible because the number of discounts each supplier can give is limited. 

How to apply

In England and Wales

You should not need to apply as you should automatically receive a rebate from your electricity supplier.

If you've not received a confirmation letter by mid-January 2024 you can contact the Warm Home Discount team on 0800 030 9322 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) but ensure you call before 29 February 2024.

A tool on the Gov.uk website can also help you check if you're eligible. It will ask questions about your energy supply, the benefits you receive and your home in order to let you know if the property meets the criteria on high energy costs. If the tool says that you should be eligible call the helpline number above to make your claim.

The Government is also writing to people who may be eligible, advising them to use the tool to check eligibility, as well as using the helpline for complex cases.   

In Scotland

You should apply directly to your electricity supplier as soon as possible.

Other help that may be available

Do you live in a Park Home?

If you are a permanent resident of a Park Home without a direct connection to an energy supplier, you may be eligible to receive a Warm Home Discount cheque towards your winter fuel bill. The fund is administered by Charis Grants on behalf of contributing suppliers. To view eligibility and apply, please visit the Charis Grants website.

Do you live in Northern Ireland?

If you live in Northern Ireland you can find further information about staying warm in winter at nidirect.

You may also be eligible for help to make your home more energy efficient through the Affordable Warmth Scheme.

Apply for a boiler or insulation grant

You might be eligible for a free grant to upgrade the heating, insulation and the energy-efficiency of your home. There are grants currently available to people on a low income through the Government's ECO scheme.

1. Boiler Grants - check your eligibility and apply for a boiler grant here

2. Insulation Grants - check your eligibility and apply for an insulation grant here

3. Electric Heating Grants - if you have electric room heaters or electric storage heaters and they are the main way of heating your home you might be eligible for a grant to upgrade or replace them - check your eligibility and apply for an electric heating grant here

4. First Time Central Heating Grants - if you've never had central heating at your property - check your eligibility and apply for a First Time Central Heating (FTCH) grant here