The Warm Home Discount gives eligible households a £150 credit on their electricity bill for winter 2026–27. The discount is applied by your electricity supplier — it is not paid to you as cash.
You may be eligible if all of the following applied on 23 August 2026: your energy supplier is part of the scheme, you or your partner received certain means-tested benefits, and your name (or your partner’s) was on the electricity bill.
Qualifying benefits are Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, and Pension Credit. Around six million households are expected to receive the discount this winter.
Most eligible households get it automatically ("core group"). Others need to apply to their supplier ("broader group"). Watch for a letter between October and December 2026; the discount is applied by 31 March 2027.
If you have not received a letter by mid-January 2027 but think you qualify, call the helpline on 0800 030 9322 by 26 February 2027.
Note: this is an independent guide, not a government website. Confirm your eligibility on GOV.UK.
£150, credited to your electricity bill (or prepayment meter) — not paid as cash.
What was the qualifying date?
23 August 2026. Your benefit, bill name and supplier all had to qualify on that date.
Do I need to apply?
Most eligible households get it automatically. Some need to apply to their supplier (the "broader group").
When will I get it?
Letters go out October–December 2026; the discount is applied by 31 March 2027.
I switched supplier after 23 August 2026 — do I still get it?
Speak to the supplier you were with on 23 August 2026. If eligible, they should send a £150 cheque.
Is this a government website?
No. This is an independent guide. Official information is on GOV.UK.
I have a prepayment meter — how do I get the £150?
Prepayment customers still receive the discount: your supplier will usually top up your meter or send you a voucher or special action message. The method varies by supplier, so if you think you qualify but nothing has arrived by 31 March 2027, contact your supplier directly.
Does the Warm Home Discount cover my gas bill too?
No — the £150 is credited to your electricity account only. If you have separate gas and electricity suppliers, it goes to the electricity one. Households with a dual-fuel supplier will simply see the credit applied to their electricity portion of the bill.
My supplier is not part of the scheme — can I still get the discount?
Unfortunately no. One of the three conditions is that your electricity supplier participates in the scheme on the qualifying date. If you switch to a participating supplier later, you become eligible for the following winter, not the current one.
How do I spot a Warm Home Discount scam?
Real notifications come as official letters or supplier messages — no one will call, text, or knock on your door asking for bank details or a fee to release your £150. If anyone does, it is a scam: do not share details, and report it to your supplier and Action Fraud.
Will the discount affect my other benefits?
No. The £150 credit is ignored as income for means-tested benefits, so it will not reduce your Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, or Pension Credit. It simply reduces your electricity bill or tops up your prepayment meter.
Do I get the discount automatically every year?
No — eligibility is reassessed each winter against the qualifying conditions on that year's qualifying date. You must still be receiving a qualifying benefit and have your name on the bill with a participating supplier when the next qualifying date falls.
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