MILLIONS of households will begin receiving the annual £150 warm home discount from this month.
The eligibility criteria for the scheme remain largely unchanged from last year, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) began sending out eligibility letters from 20 October.
The DWP will open the Warm Home Discount helpline on Monday, 27 October.
If you have not received a letter confirming your eligibility by January 2026 or need any other assistance, you can call the helpline on 0800 030 9322 for assistance.
The Warm Home Discount has expanded this year, removing the “hard-to-heat” rule for England and Wales.
Low-income families on certain benefits no longer need to live in energy-inefficient homes to qualify.
This change means 2.7million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will receive the £150 rebate, bringing total eligible homes to six million.
However, to be eligible for the discount, you need to have been claiming one of seven means-tested benefits on a specific date – August 24:
If you weren’t claiming any of these benefits on August 24, 2025, you won’t be eligible for the payment.
However, even if you aren’t receiving pension credit on the qualifying date, there’s a trick you can follow to ensure that you get the extra cash later.
This is because your eligibility for certain benefits can be backdated.
For example, successful pension credit claims can be backdated by three months.
Claims for Universal Credit can be backdated by one month.
Around 700,000 pensioners are eligible for pension credit but not claiming it.
What is pension credit and how do you apply?
PENSION credit tops up your weekly income to £227.10 if you are single or to £346.60 if you have a partner.
This is known as “guarantee credit”.
If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit.
However, if your income is slightly higher, you might still be eligible for pension credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
You could get an extra £82.90 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
- Attendance allowance
- The middle or highest rate from the care component of disability living allowance (DLA)
- The daily living component of personal independence payment (PIP)
- Armed forces independence payment
- The daily living component of adult disability payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate.
You could get the “savings credit” part of pension credit if both of the following apply:
- You reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016
- You saved some money for retirement, for example, a personal or workplace pension
This part of pension credit is worth £17.30 for single people or £19.36 for couples.
Claims for pension credit also open doors to a number of freebies and discounts.
For example, pension credit claimants over 75 qualify for a free TV licence worth up to £174.50 a year.
Claims for the benefit also provide eligibility to £25 a week cold weather payments and the £150 warm home discount.
Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
Do I need to apply for the discount?
Households in England and Wales don’t have to apply to get the cash and receive it automatically.
You should look out for a letter between October 2025 and early January 2026 telling you:
- You’re eligible and you’ll get the discount automatically; or
- You might be eligible, and you need to give more information.
- The letter will tell you to call the helpline by 27 February 2026 to confirm your details.
If you don’t get the letter by early January 2026 and you think you’re eligible, you need to call the helpline on 0800 030 9322.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2026.
The Warm Home Discount is available no matter who your energy provider is.
If you live in Scotland, you may need to apply for the Warm Home Discount.
In Scotland there’s a “core group” that’ll receive an automatic payment and a “broader group” which has to apply for the scheme with their energy provider.
You’ll need to check with your energy supplier directly to see the eligibility requirements and details on how to apply.
The scheme will have more applicants
What energy bill help is available?
There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.