Warm Home Discount 2025/26: £150 Off Your Electricity Bill

The Warm Home Discount (WHD) is an annual £150 rebate on your winter electricity bill for low-income households and pensioners. It's funded by energy suppliers, applied automatically to most eligible accounts in England and Wales, and claimed via your supplier in Scotland.

The scheme is substantial: it covered around 2.6 million households in winter 2024/25 and is expected to reach a similar number in 2025/26. Yet an estimated 1 million+ eligible households still miss out — usually because they didn't realise they qualified or didn't apply via their supplier in Scotland.

How the Warm Home Discount works

The £150 is not paid to you as cash. It's a credit applied directly to your electricity account, showing up as a reduction on your November, December, or January bill. Prepayment meter customers get the £150 added as credit or via a voucher.

The scheme runs annually from late October to the following March. Funding is provided by energy suppliers (recovered through a small uplift on all customers' bills) and the rebate is applied automatically wherever possible.

Warm Home Discount eligibility (2025/26)

Core Group 1 — Pension Credit (automatic)

If you (or your partner) receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you'll get the Warm Home Discount automatically. The DWP shares data with energy suppliers and the rebate is applied without you needing to apply.

You'll typically receive a letter between October and December confirming your eligibility. If you're entitled to Pension Credit but haven't claimed it, claiming unlocks Warm Home Discount plus the Winter Fuel Payment, free TV licence (over 75s), Council Tax Reduction, and Cold Weather Payment — typically worth £4,300+ per year combined.

Core Group 2 — Low income + high energy costs (England & Wales, automatic)

Since 2022, England and Wales operate a data-matched Broader Group where DWP and HMRC data is cross-referenced with energy supplier property data to identify households who:

• Receive a qualifying means-tested benefit (Universal Credit, Income Support, JSA, ESA, Pension Credit Savings Credit, certain Housing Benefits, Working/Child Tax Credits within thresholds)
• Live in a property with high estimated energy costs relative to its size and type

If you match both criteria, you'll get the Warm Home Discount automatically — same letter, same credit, no application needed. You don't need to know which group you fall into; if you're eligible, you'll be told.

Broader Group — Scotland (application required)

Scotland operates a different route: the Broader Group requires you to apply directly to your electricity supplier when their application window opens (usually October each year). Eligibility criteria are set by each supplier individually but broadly include households on qualifying benefits.

The Scottish Broader Group has limited funding per supplier, so applications are first-come-first-served. Apply as early as possible in the autumn window — suppliers often close applications within weeks of opening.

Warm Home Discount by supplier — how to claim with each one

Warm Home Discount with British Gas

British Gas is the UK's largest electricity supplier and participates fully in the Warm Home Discount Scheme. If you're eligible under Core Group 1 or 2 (England & Wales), the £150 credit is applied automatically — no action needed. If you're a British Gas customer in Scotland and think you qualify under the Broader Group, apply via the British Gas Warm Home Discount page when their application window opens, typically late October.

For queries about your British Gas Warm Home Discount, call 0330 100 0303 (Monday to Friday) or sign in to your account online. If the credit hasn't appeared by the end of February, call to confirm your eligibility and request a manual application.

Warm Home Discount with OVO Energy

OVO Energy participates in the Warm Home Discount Scheme and now handles former Shell Energy and SSE customer accounts following the 2022–2023 mergers. If you're an OVO customer eligible under Core Group 1 or 2, the £150 is applied automatically.

OVO Scottish customers in the Broader Group apply via the OVO help centre — applications typically open in late October. Contact OVO on 0330 303 5063 for queries about your Warm Home Discount or to check eligibility.

Warm Home Discount with EDF Energy

EDF Energy participates in the Warm Home Discount Scheme across England, Wales, and Scotland. The automatic route covers Core Group 1 and 2; Scottish customers can apply via EDF's online Warm Home Discount form during the autumn window.

For queries call 0333 200 5108 or visit the EDF Warm Home Discount page. EDF typically opens Scottish applications in late October and closes when funding is exhausted.

Warm Home Discount with E.ON Next

E.ON Next (the residential energy arm of E.ON UK) participates in the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Eligible Core Group 1 and 2 customers get the £150 automatically. Scottish customers in the Broader Group apply via the E.ON Next Warm Home Discount page.

Contact E.ON Next on 0808 501 5200 for Warm Home Discount queries. Funding is limited for the Scottish Broader Group, so apply early once the autumn window opens.

Warm Home Discount with Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy passed the 150,000-customer threshold years ago and now participates in the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Automatic Core Group 1 and 2 eligibility applies. Octopus has a strong reputation for proactively contacting Scottish customers who may qualify under the Broader Group.

Contact Octopus on 0808 164 1088 or via the Octopus help centre. Their customer service is well-regarded for handling Warm Home Discount queries promptly.

Warm Home Discount with Scottish Power

Scottish Power is one of the largest electricity suppliers in Scotland and participates fully in the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Their Scottish Broader Group application form opens in late October each year and closes once funding is allocated.

Contact Scottish Power on 0800 027 0072 or apply via their dedicated Warm Home Discount page. Applications are processed in order received, so don't delay.

Warm Home Discount with Utilita

Utilita specialises in prepayment electricity meters and participates in the Warm Home Discount Scheme. If you're a Utilita customer eligible under Core Group 1 or 2, the £150 is typically credited directly to your prepayment meter.

Contact Utilita on 0330 333 1212 or sign in to your account area to check your Warm Home Discount status. For Scottish customers, applications open in autumn via the Utilita customer area.

Warm Home Discount 2025 — what's changed

For the 2025/26 scheme year, the Warm Home Discount remains at £150. The scheme broadened its eligibility from 2022 onwards by adding the data-matched Core Group 2 in England and Wales — adding approximately 1 million more households to automatic eligibility. Around 2.6 million households were expected to receive the rebate in 2024/25, with similar numbers in 2025/26.

The qualifying benefit list has remained broadly stable. Tax Credits-based eligibility is being phased out as recipients migrate to Universal Credit, but transitional protection means most existing recipients continue to qualify.

Which energy suppliers participate?

All large electricity suppliers (those with over 150,000 domestic customers) are legally required to participate in the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This includes:

• British Gas
• EDF Energy
• E.ON Next (E.ON UK's residential arm)
• Octopus Energy
• OVO Energy (covers former Shell Energy and SSE customers)
• Scottish Power
• Utilita

Some smaller suppliers participate voluntarily. If your supplier has fewer than 150,000 customers and doesn't participate, you cannot get Warm Home Discount through them. Switching to a larger supplier before the winter would let you claim.

If you don't qualify, what else is available?

• Winter Fuel Payment — £200–£300 for State Pension age recipients of Pension Credit (means-tested since 2024)
• Cold Weather Payment — £25 per 7-day cold spell during winter for eligible benefit recipients
• Household Support Fund — local authority hardship funding, varies by council. Contact your local council.
• ECO4 and Warm Homes: Local Grant — for longer-term insulation/heating upgrades that lower bills permanently
• Priority Services Register — free utility support for vulnerable customers (older, disabled, chronic illness)

Common questions

How do I claim the Warm Home Discount?

In England and Wales, most eligible households are identified automatically by data-matching between DWP/HMRC records and your electricity supplier. You'll receive a letter from the DWP and a £150 credit on your electricity account — no application needed. In Scotland, you must apply directly to your electricity supplier when their application window opens (usually October–November). The Scottish "Broader Group" is first-come, first-served, so apply early.

Who qualifies for the Warm Home Discount in 2025/26?

You qualify if you're in one of three groups: (1) Core Group 1 — you receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, (2) Core Group 2 (England & Wales) — you're on certain means-tested benefits AND live in a property with high estimated energy costs (data-matched automatically), or (3) Broader Group (Scotland) — you're on qualifying benefits and apply to your supplier within their application window.

How much is the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount is a flat £150 credit applied to your electricity account during the winter (typically November to March). It's not paid as cash — it shows up as a reduction on your electricity bill. If you're on a prepayment meter, you'll get a £150 voucher or credit added to your meter.

When is the Warm Home Discount paid?

The £150 credit is normally applied to your electricity account between October 2025 and March 2026 for the 2025/26 scheme year. You'll typically see it on a November, December, or January bill. If you don't see it by the end of February, contact your supplier with your Warm Home Discount letter reference.

Does the Warm Home Discount affect other benefits?

No. The Warm Home Discount is not counted as income for benefit-assessment purposes. It won't affect your Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, or any other means-tested support.

Can I get the Warm Home Discount on a prepayment meter?

Yes. If you have a smart prepayment meter, the £150 is usually credited directly to your meter. If you have a traditional prepayment meter, you'll receive a voucher you can redeem at the Post Office or PayPoint. Your supplier will write to you explaining how they'll deliver it.

What's the Warm Home Discount contact number?

The Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline is 0800 030 9322 (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm). They can confirm whether you're on the eligibility list, help if your payment is missing, or advise if you should have received the discount but didn't. For supplier-specific queries, contact your electricity supplier directly (numbers in the supplier table above).

What if I switch electricity supplier mid-winter?

Wait until the £150 credit has been applied before switching. If you switch before the credit lands, the rebate can fall between the cracks — supplier A no longer owes it (you're no longer their customer), and supplier B can't apply it because they weren't your supplier at the qualifying point. Once the credit is on your account, switch freely.