What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme which designed to help vulnerable and low income households handle the costs of heating during the winter months. It’s a one-off lump sum payment, and it’s available to a wide group of people.
How much could I get?
£140
Unlike the majority of other government funding schemes, the Warm Home Discount is a fixed amount, no matter who you are or where you live.
It doesn’t come like a cheque in the post, it’s a discount that is applied to your energy bills. For prepayment systems, it’s loaded on to your payment token/card or provided as a voucher. A bit like when your grandma gives you book tokens for Christmas instead of cash so that you can’t just spend it all on pizza.
Who can get the Warm Home Discount?
The people that qualify for the scheme fall into 2 categories.
The ‘Core Group’ are the people that get the discount automatically. You qualify for the discount if all of the following apply:
- Your energy supplier was part of the scheme
- Your name (or your partner’s) was on the bill
- You were getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)
The ‘Broader Group’ are the people that need to apply to their energy company to get the discount. Each energy company on the scheme has slightly different criteria for who qualifies as to this discount, but they’re all aimed at people on low income. Usually they are determined by what kind of benefits you qualify for.
British Gas, for example, offers the discount to customers that are currently receiving income support, jobseekers allowance, employment and support allowing, or universal credit. It’s a similar story at the other big companies, but it’s worth checking your particular supplier – scroll down for a full list.
To get the discount you’ll need to stay with your supplier until it’s paid. That means no switching!
How do I apply for the Warm Home Discount?
If you qualify for the core group, then lucky you, you don’t need to lift a finger! If this is the case, you should receive a letter between October and December 2019. The letter might say that that you need to call to confirm your details, but it should be a very straightforward process. Just in case, do not let this letter go ignored. Your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by the end of March 2020.
If you think you might be in the broader group, the best place to start is to check your eligibility with your energy supplier. Almost all of them will let you apply online, and most offer an over-the-phone option as well. See below for a full list of suppliers that offer their customers the Warm Home Discount.
If you’re a mobile home owner, you apply slightly differently through this link.
Energy suppliers that offer the Warm Home Discount:
- Angelic Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- Atlantic – see SSE
- Avro Energy
- Beam Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- Boost – see OVO
- Bristol Energy – only if you’re eligible for the ‘core group’
- British Gas
- Bulb Energy
- Citizen Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- Co-operative Energy
- E (Gas and Electricity)
- Ebico – see Robin Hood Energy
- Economy Energy has closed – use OVO
- EDF Energy
- E.ON
- Extra Energy has closed – use Scottish Power
- First Utility – now Shell Energy
- Flow Energy
- Fosse Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- GB Energy – see Co-operative Energy
- Great North Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- Green Network Energy
- Green Star/Hudson
- Liverpool Energy Community Company (LECCy) – see Robin Hood Energy
- Lumo – see OVO
- npower
- Octopus Energy
- Our Power has closed – use Utilita
- OVO
- Powershop – see npower
- Ram Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- Robin Hood Energy – only if you’re eligible for the ‘core group’
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Gas – see British Gas
- Scottish Hydro – see SSE
- ScottishPower
- Shell Energy (previously First Utility)
- Southern Electric – see SSE
- Spark Energy has closed – use Ovo Energy
- SSE
- SWALEC – see SSE
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
- White Rose Energy – see Robin Hood Energy
- Your Energy Sussex – see Robin Hood Energy
Think we missed something? Do you have a different opinion?
Comment below to get your voice heard…
When does this open for applications this yea?
Different energy companies will open up for applications at different times, so it’s worth checking with your supplier.
Please can you tell me when to apply for discount 2019 2020.thankyou
Hi Carol, you’ll have to check with your individual energy supplier. Generally, for the biggest suppliers, it’s around September time.
It’s crazy when it’s paid,it’s to help through the winter but goes on your electric and is paid in April may time.it helps a lot just comes at the wrong time and for me on the wrong option.
I have the biomass heating with British Gas am I still entitled to the warm homes discount