Eight benefits that can qualify for extra £150 energy bill discount this winter

THE Warm Homes Discount Scheme (WHDS) is a one-off reduction on your energy bills worth £150.

Last year, the government says it delivered almost £5million rebates to people across Great Britain.

The discount is applied automatically if you’re eligible.

It’s knocked off your energy bill through your supplier, you don’t get paid the money directly.

Government data shows that the vast majority of people get the payments automatically, for instance 95% of pensioners didn’t need to do anything.

But there were still 128,000 people who got the cash after contacting the scheme helpline, which is why it’s really important to keep an eye out for letters and make sure you’re getting what you’re entitled to.

To get the money, you need to either get the guarantee element of Pension Credit, or one of several other benefits.

The most common non-pensioner households receiving a discount are in Universal Credit, Income-based support and employment
allowance, and tax credits.

You can still qualify if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go metre, but it might be delivered through energy vouchers.

Your supplier can confirm how the discount is applied.

I you get your electricity and gas from the same supplier then you might be able to reduce your gas bill instead.

Not all suppliers take part in the scheme, so if you think you would normally be eligible it might be worth switching to a provider that is signed up.

The energy companies that offer the discount are:

• 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
• Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
• Boost
• British Gas
• Bulb Energy – see Octopus Energy
• Co-op Energy - see Octopus Energy
• E - also known as E (Gas and Electricity)
• Ecotricity
• E.ON Next
• EDF
• Fuse Energy
• Good Energy
• Home Energy
• London Power
• Octopus Energy
• Outfox the Market
• OVO
• Rebel Energy
• Sainsbury’s Energy
• Scottish Gas – see British Gas
• ScottishPower
• Shell Energy Retail
• So Energy
• Tomato Energy
• TruEnergy
• Utilita
• Utility Warehouse

To help you understand whether you’ll get the help this year, we’ve rounded up all the benefits and criteria that should entitle you to the WHDS.

Everyone on these benefits should get a letter than will either confirm that you’re eligible or ask you for extra details to prove that you qualify for the energy discount.

These started going out in October, but could be sent as late as early January.

If you’re asked for extra info, you need to respond by February 28, 2025, or you’ll miss out.

If your letter says that you’re eligible, you don’t need to do anything.

The discounts have to be applied to accounts by suppliers before March 31 next year.

If you haven’t got the letter and you think you should have, you can ring the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline on 0800 030 9322 or write to Warm Home Discount Scheme, PO Box 14127, Selkirk, TD7 9AH.

The guarantee element of Pension Credit

If you or your partner were receiving the guarantee the element of Pension Credit on August 11 this year, you should get the payment as long as one of you is named on the electricity bill and your supplier is part of the scheme.

This is known as being in the "core group 1" in England and Wales. In Scotland, it is the "core group".

Other benefits

If you don’t get Pension Credit, there are still plenty of benefits that can qualify you for the WHDS.

To get the discount, you must have met the following criteria on August 11 this year.

• your energy supplier is part of the scheme
• you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
• your property has a high energy cost score based on its characteristics
• your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill

The benefits that count for the discount are:

• Housing Benefit
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income Support
• the "Savings Credit" part of Pension Credit
• Universal Credit

You could also qualify if your household income is below a cap, and you get either:

• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit

Your property must have a high energy cost score for you to get the discount.

This isn’t calculated based on your actual energy bills. Instead the government looks at your property’s type, age and floor area.

In Scotland

If you’re in Scotland and on a low income, you need to apply for the Warm Home Energy Discount.