Households on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits could be eligible to get £140 off their electricity bill for winter 2021 to 2022 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme, a benefit delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
It’s important to note that the money is not paid directly to you - it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill, between October and March.
You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity, you would need to contact your supplier to find out.
The DWP has confirmed that the discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
There are currently 25 energy firms participating in the scheme, however, over the last few months that same number of smaller suppliers have stopped trading due to unmanageable operational costs brought about by the ongoing wholesale gas price crisis.
What to do if your supplier is no longer trading
If the electricity supplier you were with stops trading, you may still be eligible for a Warm Home Discount.
Ofgem will appoint your new supplier for you and the likelihood is that it will be with one of the Big Six energy firms, and they all operate the Warm Home Discount scheme.
If you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, the DWP will write to you with more information by mid-December.
If you’re on a low income, check with your new supplier to see if they operate the scheme.
Energy suppliers
Below is the list of current energy suppliers participating in the Warm Home Discount scheme, however, this may change, but the most recent list can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
- Affect Energy
- Atlantic
- Boost
- Bristol Energy - only if you’re eligible for the ‘core group’
- British Gas
- British Gas Evolve (formerly British Gas X)
- Bulb Energy - UK Government is bailing Bulb out
- Co-op Energy
- E (Gas and Electricity)
- E.ON
- E.ON Next
- Ebico
- Ecotricity - only if you’re eligible for the ‘core group’
- EDF Energy
- ESb Energy
- Green Energy UK (GEUK)
- London Power
- M&S Energy
- Nabuh Energy
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox The Market
- OVO
- Rebel Energy
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Gas
- Scottish Hydro
- ScottishPower
- Shell Energy Retail
- So Energy
- Southern Electric
- SSE
- Swalec
- Together Energy
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
Am I eligible for Warm Home Discount?
There are two ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme:
- You get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the ‘core group’
- You’re 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.
Pre-pay or pay-as-you-go meters
You can still qualify for the discount if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter.
Your electricity supplier can tell you how you will get the discount if you’re eligible, for example a voucher you can use to top up your meter.
How to apply
Your electricity supplier decides who can get the discount.
The number of discounts suppliers can give is limited. 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 a discount last year.
Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2022.
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