The Warm Home Discount scheme is a one-off discount
UK households are set to receive a £150 discount on their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount scheme. This one-off discount is typically provided by your energy supplier as a deduction from your bill, rather than a cash payment.
However, those who pay for their energy via a pre-payment meter may instead receive the discount in the form of a voucher, depending on the supplier. This voucher can then be used to top up your meter. It’s now estimated that around six million households will benefit from the discount, with an extra 2.7 million included due to this year’s expansion. However, households must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the discount.
Previously, eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales were restricted to those receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, individuals grappling with high energy costs, or recipients of certain means-tested benefits.
This made the eligibility criteria quite limiting for many customers who didn’t claim any qualifying benefits but were still finding it tough to pay for their energy. However, the Government has since confirmed that it will eliminate the threshold if a recipient of a means-tested benefit is named on the energy bill.
Pension Credit claimants automatically receive the discount, but those who qualify by other means may need to apply for the scheme through their energy supplier. The energy supplier must be part of the scheme and either the claimant or their partner will need to be a recipient of certain means-tested benefits or tax credits to qualify.
Full list of benefits eligible for the Warm Home Discount
According to official guidelines, these are the means-tested benefits that could make you eligible for the Warm Home Discount:
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Housing Benefit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- The ‘Savings Credit’ part of Pension Credit