British Gas to give thousands of customers an extra £150 for winter

06 October 2023 , 14:20

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British Gas will be giving the £150 through the Warm Home Discount Scheme (Image: Getty Images)

British Gas will be giving thousands of customers a £150 payment to help with their energy bills this winter.

The cash will be given through the Government Warm Home Discount scheme. This scheme gives low-income or vulnerable households a £150 discount on their electricity bill between October and March.

The money is paid directly into your energy account, by your supplier, instead of cash directly into your bank account. If you're on a prepay meter, you're usually sent a top-up voucher. If you have a pay as you go smart meter British Gas will send the credit directly to it and will email you to let you know its there.

You should get the payment automatically if you, or your partner, receive the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit. This is known as "Core Group 1" in England and Wales and "Core Group" in Scotland.

You may also be able to claim the Warm Home Discount if you are on a low income, claiming certain benefits and have high energy costs. This is known as being in the "Core Group 2" if you live in England and Wales.

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The qualifying benefits which could make you eligible in England and Wales include:

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

You could also qualify if your household income falls below a certain threshold and you get Working or Child Tax Credit. You will have needed to claim these benefits on August 13 this year to be eligible for the discount.

If you live in Scotland and you claim benefits, you’ll need to apply for the Warm Home Discount through your supplier under the “Broader Group” criteria. Your electricity supplier may have extra eligibility criteria, as it is up to them who gets the discount in Scotland. The Warm Home Discount scheme is not available in Northern Ireland.

Between now and December, eligible households should receive a letter telling them whether they qualify for the scheme. Once eligibility is confirmed, people should expect to receive the payment between the middle of October and the end of March next year.

If you don't receive a letter, and you think you're eligible, you can call the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 107 8002.

British Gas is just one of a long list of energy firms which offer the £150 discount. The following energy suppliers are part of the Warm Home Discount scheme this year.

• 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
• Affect Energy
• Atlantic
• Boost
• British Gas
• Bulb Energy
• Co-op Energy
• E
• Ecotricity
• E.ON Next
• EDF
• Good Energy
• London Power
• Octopus Energy
• Outfox the Market
• OVO
• Rebel Energy
• Sainsbury’s Energy
• Scottish Gas
• Scottish Hydro
• ScottishPower
• Shell Energy Retail
• So Energy
• Southern Electric
• SSE Energy Services
• Swalec
• Tomato Energy
• TruEnergy
• Utilita
• Utility Warehouse

Ruby Flanagan