16 October 2023 , 08:11
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Millions of people will get £150 off their electricity bill this winter under the Warm Home Discount scheme, which reopens today (October 16).
The money is applied as a discount to your electricity bill, rather than a cash payment, to help with energy costs. If you have a traditional prepayment meter, you should be sent a top-up voucher, while smart prepayment meter customers should see the discount automatically added to their account.
You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead, but you'll need to contact your energy supplier to see if they can do this. However, not all energy suppliers are signed up to the Warm Home Discount scheme.
You can check the full list of suppliers that are taking part on the Gov.uk website. If your supplier is on that list, then you next need to see if you qualify. 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 one” in England and Wales.
You, or your partner, need to have been claiming Pension Credit on the qualifying date, which for this year is August 13. You may also apply for the Warm Home Discount scheme automatically in England and Wales if you claim certain benefits and have high energy costs - this is known as “core group two”.
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You can check if you're eligible to receive the discount using the Gov.uk Warm Home Discount online tool. Benefits that qualify you for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales are:
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:
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
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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.
If you're eligible for the scheme, you should receive a letter between now and early January 2024. If you think you're eligible and you don't receive a letter by early January, you should contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme before February 29, 2024. You can call the helpline on 0800 030 9322 or write a letter to: 110552 Warm Home Discount Scheme, PO Box 26965, Glasgow, G1 9BW.
The Warm Home Discount scheme is not available in Northern Ireland.