The Warm Home Discount Scheme will reopen at the end of October 2025
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is set to reopen in a matter of days, just in time for the weather to turn cooler. According to Gov.uk it will start at the end of October. This year, one-off payments of £150 will benefit millions of UK households across the country, as many continue to struggle with soaring energy bills.
Energy providers, like Octopus, British Gas, Ovo, E.on and Scottish Power, oversee the scheme, with Ofgem serving as the regulatory body. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is also involved, largely by identifying the people who are eligible for the £150.
On Gov.uk, a statement about the scheme for 2025/26 reads: “If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.” The £150 discount is applied to your electricity bill, meaning homeowners can enjoy spending £150 less on their monthly bill.
It adds: “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’ll get the discount if you’re eligible, for example a voucher you can use to top up your meter.”
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
If you live in England or Wales, there’s no need to apply for the Warm Home Discount; however, you must meet the eligibility criteria established by the Government. This is divided into two Core Groups:
- Core Group 1 – for people receiving the Guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
- Core Group 2 – for those who receive qualifying means-tested benefits.
Core Group 1
To be considered for the discount, you or your partner must have been named on the domestic electricity bill on August 24, 2025. You must also have been supplied by an eligible energy provider on the qualifying date. You or your partner must also have received the Guaranteed element of Pension Credit on the qualifying date.
Core Group 2
To be considered for the discount, you or your partner must have been named on the domestic electricity bill on August 24, 2025. You must also have been supplied by an eligible energy provider on the qualifying date. You or your partner must also receive the following qualifying means-tested benefits:
- 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
As of 2025/26, those in receipt of a means-tested benefit are no longer required to live in a property with a high energy score. This means that, if the other eligibility elements are met, you only need to receive one of the qualifying benefits listed.
You will receive a letter sometime between October 2025 and early January 2026 informing you of your eligibility for an automatic discount. Alternatively, you may be eligible but will need to provide additional information. The letter will instruct you to contact the helpline by the end of February 2025 to verify your details.
If you haven’t received the letter by early January 2026 and believe you qualify, you should contact the helpline by the end of February 2026. If you’re eligible, your electricity provider will apply the £150 to your bill by March 31, 2026.
Who isn’t eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
There are four groups of people who likely won’t get the Warm Home Discount because they don’t meet the DWP’s eligibility criteria. These include:
- If your energy supplier is not part of the scheme.
- You are not named on the electricity bill.
- You do not receive a qualifying means-tested benefit in England and Wales.
- You or your partner doesn’t have the Guaranteed element of Pension Credit on the qualifying date.
People with lower incomes who may not have qualified before (such as those not receiving benefits or residing in newer or smaller homes) could now be eligible, but this is contingent on personal situations and the particular regulations in their area.
Participating energy providers
- 100Green
- Boost
- British Gas (including Scottish Gas)
- E (Gas and Electricity)
- E.ON Next
- EDF Energy
- Ecotricity
- Good Energy
- Home Energy
- London Power
- Octopus Energy (including Co-op Energy, Affect Energy, Bulb Energy, Shell Energy)
- Outfox the Market
- OVO Energy
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- ScottishPower
- So Energy
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
Who may not have
The eligibility rules for lower-income households in England and Wales have been expanded for the 2025/26 winter. This means that some previously excluded people may now be eligible if they meet the new criteria.
If you permanently live on a park home site and pay the site owner for your electricity, you may be eligible under the Park Homes Warm Home Discount Scheme. The Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme is open for applications.
Some disabled households that were previously excluded may also now be eligible if they meet the new criteria for low-income households.