The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill for winter 2026/27. In England and Wales, households where you or your partner got a qualifying means-tested benefit on 23 August 2026, and whose name was on the electricity bill, may be eligible. Most people do not need to apply: eligible households are identified through government data matching and get a letter, sent between late October 2026 and early January 2027. Scotland has its own rules, and the scheme does not run in Northern Ireland.
This guide explains the rules as published by GOV.UK and Ofgem. It is general information, not advice. Nobody can promise you will qualify, so check GOV.UK, or contact the scheme helpline or your electricity supplier, about your own case.
What the Warm Home Discount is
The Warm Home Discount is a £150 discount applied to your electricity bill by your electricity supplier. GOV.UK is clear that the money is not paid to you: it is a credit on your bill. If the same supplier provides both your gas and electricity, you may be able to have the discount on your gas bill instead. Contact your supplier to check.
The discount does not affect Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
The scheme began in April 2011. It is an obligation on energy suppliers: the government sets the eligibility rules, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) matches data to identify households, and suppliers pay out the rebates. Ofgem administers the scheme.
Some key points for this winter:
- Amount: £150 for winter 2026/27.
- Scheme period: the government has continued the scheme for a new five-year period, from 2026/27 to 2030/31.
- Scheme year: in England and Wales, the 2026/27 scheme year runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Which suppliers take part
Suppliers with 1,000 or more domestic customers must take part. Ofgem counts customers as at 31 December before each scheme year. GOV.UK publishes the full list of participating suppliers, which had 24 entries when it was last updated in October 2026. If your supplier goes bust, Ofgem appoints a new one and you may still be eligible, so check with the new supplier.
How many people get it
In 2023/24, 3.35 million households got the £150 rebate. For 2026/27 the government expects “around 6 million” households across Britain to receive it.
Who qualifies in England and Wales
In England and Wales, everyone who qualifies is in a single “Core Group”. You may be eligible if all of the following applied on the qualifying date, 23 August 2026:
- your electricity supplier was part of the scheme
- you or your partner got a qualifying means-tested benefit
- your name, or your partner’s, was on the electricity bill.
A legal representative named on the bill is also covered.
Qualifying benefits
GOV.UK lists four qualifying benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Pension Credit.
The government’s January 2026 response on continuing the scheme gives a slightly longer list, which also includes income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support, and says both the Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit parts of Pension Credit count. If you get either of these and are unsure where you stand, check GOV.UK or call the helpline.
Why more people qualify now
In 2025/26 the government removed the old “high cost to heat” test in England and Wales. For 2026/27 the two former core groups were merged into one Core Group, keeping the wider rules. The government’s October 2026 announcement says every billpayer on means-tested benefits now qualifies, provided the other conditions above are met.
According to the government, about 96% of qualifying households get the rebate automatically through DWP data matching. The rest may be asked for more information (see below).
Scotland: Core Group and Broader Group
Scotland has two routes.
Core Group (automatic)
From 2026/27 the Scottish Core Group is wider. It now matches the qualifying benefits for the Scottish Winter Heating Payment (as at December 2025), and eligibility is checked through DWP data matching. You do not need to apply. The criteria are:
- Pension Credit, with no other conditions.
- Universal Credit: if you are employed or self-employed, you need a child or young person disability element. If you are not working, you need a limited capability for work element (with or without the work-related activity element), a child or young person disability element, or a child under 5.
- Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, plus a child under 5, a disability premium, severe disability premium, pensioner premium or disabled child premium.
- Income-related ESA, plus a child under 5, or membership of the support group or work-related activity group, or a severe or enhanced disability premium, or a pensioner premium.
- Support for Mortgage Interest, plus a child under 5, a disability premium, pensioner premium or disabled child premium.
If you are in the Core Group, you should get a letter.
Broader Group (you must apply)
If you are not in the Core Group, you may be able to apply to your electricity supplier under the Broader Group. The regulations set a list of criteria that every supplier must accept:
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Adult Disability Payment
- Housing Benefit
- income-related ESA
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- Universal Credit.
Suppliers can add their own criteria, with Ofgem’s approval, so the details vary between suppliers. Places are limited by each supplier’s budget, so GOV.UK advises applying early, even if you got the discount last year. You must stay with the supplier until the discount is paid. Each supplier sets its own application window, so check with yours.
If you applied directly to your supplier, you will not get a letter from the scheme. Contact your supplier with any questions.
Northern Ireland: what is available instead
GOV.UK states that the Warm Home Discount is not available in Northern Ireland. It points to the Affordable Warmth scheme instead. Other help exists, but it works differently.
Affordable Warmth Scheme
This scheme pays for energy-efficiency improvements, not a bill credit. According to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive:
- it is for homeowners and private renters (with the landlord’s agreement), not social housing tenants
- gross household income must be under £23,000
- grants are up to £7,500
- you apply through the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455.
The Department for Communities says Affordable Warmth will be replaced by a new Warm Healthy Homes Fund from April 2027.
Home heating oil support
nidirect describes a £100 digital prepaid card for households that use heating oil as their main source of heat:
- Who: people on a qualifying benefit (such as Pension Credit, Universal Credit, income-related ESA, DLA, PIP or Attendance Allowance) or with a net income under £30,000.
- Qualifying periods: 1 to 30 April 2026 and 1 to 30 November 2026.
- How: you apply online. It is not paid automatically.
- Deadline: 31 March 2027.
- Helpline: 0800 072 0266.
How and when you get it
Letters
In England, Wales and Scotland (Core Group), letters are sent between late October 2026 and early January 2027. The government said the first letters began arriving in the week of 22 October 2026.
- England and Wales: there is no application form. If you were matched automatically, your letter will say you do not need to do anything. If your letter asks for more information, you must phone the helpline by 26 February 2027.
- Scotland: Core Group households get a letter. Broader Group households apply on their supplier’s own form or website.
When the money appears
Suppliers apply the discount by 31 March 2027. GOV.UK does not give a typical gap between the letter and the credit, so the credit may appear at any point up to that date.
Prepayment meters
You can still get the discount if you have a prepayment or pay-as-you-go meter. Your supplier will tell you how you will get it, for example as a voucher to top up your meter.
Park homes
Park (mobile) home residents are not covered by the normal route. They apply separately through the Park Homes Warm Home Discount, which GOV.UK links to from its guide.
Key dates for 2026/27
| What | Date |
|---|---|
| Qualifying date (England and Wales) | 23 August 2026 |
| Letters sent (England, Wales and Scottish Core Group) | Late October 2026 to early January 2027 |
| No letter by now and you think you qualify: contact the scheme | Early January 2027 |
| Deadline to contact the helpline (more information needed, or no letter) | Before 26 February 2027 |
| Suppliers apply the discount | By 31 March 2027 |
If you think you should have got it
If you have not had a letter by early January 2027 and think you are eligible, contact the scheme before 26 February 2027.
- Helpline: 0800 030 9322
- Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 229 4325
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- Post: Warm Home Discount Scheme, PO Box 970, Preston PR2 0FX
Before you call, have your electricity bill to hand and know which benefit you or your partner were getting on 23 August 2026.
If you are in Scotland and applied through the Broader Group, contact your supplier, not the helpline.
Warm Home Discount vs warm home grants
The Warm Home Discount is a £150 credit on your bill. A “warm home grant” usually means funding for home improvements such as insulation, heating or solar panels.
- England: Warm Homes: Local Grant. This is run through councils. It is for privately owned or privately rented homes with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D to G. Household income usually needs to be £36,000 or less, or you may qualify through your postcode or benefits. It can pay for free improvements such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels. The helpline is 0800 098 7950.
- Wider government plans: our glossary explains the Warm Homes Plan.
- Wales: the main scheme is called Nest.
- Scotland: the main scheme is Warmer Homes Scotland, accessed through Home Energy Scotland.
- Northern Ireland: the Affordable Warmth scheme (see above).
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is another separate scheme. Ofgem’s June 2026 guidance notes that it will be closed.
How the scheme is paid for
The cost of the Warm Home Discount is shared across energy bills and is included in the energy price cap.
From 1 April 2026 the way it is recovered changed. The costs for the new scheme year are now recovered through unit rates (the price per kWh) instead of the standing charge. The government made the policy decision and Ofgem changed the price cap method to match, publishing its decision on 25 February 2026.
According to Ofgem, the Warm Home Discount allowance in the cap from 1 April 2026 is £41.19 a year for a typical consumer:
- £34.37 on unit rates, covering 2026/27 costs
- £6.82 still on the standing charge until 31 March 2027, covering the remaining cost of the 2025/26 expansion.
Ofgem says the net effect is a typical dual-fuel cap £4 lower, with low users paying a little less and high users a little more. Before April 2026 these costs sat in the standing charge, split equally between gas and electricity. For what the cap means for bills this winter, see our latest energy bills update.
Avoiding scams
The genuine process is simple. In England and Wales you get a letter from the scheme, and in Scotland the Broader Group is an application to your own supplier. Because the discount is a bill credit, you never need to give bank details to receive the £150.
The government’s advice is:
- only contact your supplier through your usual method
- do not follow suspicious links
- do not give financial details if asked by email, text or phone.
If unsure, check GOV.UK yourself or call your supplier on the number you normally use.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fill in a Warm Home Discount application form?
Not in England and Wales: there is no application form, and eligible households get a letter. In Scotland, the Core Group is automatic, but the Broader Group means applying on your electricity supplier’s own form or website.
Is the £150 paid into my bank account?
No. It is a discount on your electricity bill, and the money is not paid to you. If the same supplier provides your gas and electricity, you may be able to have it on your gas bill instead.
Which benefits count for the Warm Home Discount in 2026/27?
GOV.UK lists Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA and Pension Credit for England and Wales. The government’s scheme response also includes income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support. Scotland has different criteria, explained above.
When will I get my Warm Home Discount letter?
Letters are sent between late October 2026 and early January 2027. Suppliers apply the discount by 31 March 2027.
What if I have a prepayment meter?
You can still get the discount. Your supplier will tell you how, for example as a voucher to top up your meter.
Does the Warm Home Discount affect my Winter Fuel Payment?
No. It does not affect Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
Can I get the Warm Home Discount in Northern Ireland?
No. It is not available in Northern Ireland. The Affordable Warmth scheme and the £100 home heating oil support card are the main alternatives described above. Check nidirect or NI Energy Advice for your own case.