Warm Home Discount: Act by 23 August to get £150 off energy bills

Energy bills are a big worry for households ahead of winter but millions can help ease the pressure with a £150 discount.

Even though the colder months feel a way off, to qualify for the Warm Home Discount scheme, you will need to be correctly registered by 23 August or could miss out.

The scheme provides a rebate on electricity bills to eligible households, with around six million households expected to qualify.

We explain what you need to know...

Who is eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount?

If you receive certain means-tested benefits your household will be eligible for the discount.

In England and Wales, this includes people receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

But the crucial point is that you must be named on your energy bill in order to get the discount.

Suppliers will rely on records from the 23 August to give the rebate this winter, so you now have less than two weeks to check you are named on the account.

How do you get the Warm Home Discount?

For eligible households, the Warm Home Discount is generally applied automatically, so you don't normally need to make a separate claim.

This is why it is so important to check that the correct person is named on their electricity bill.

If you're a tenant, homeowner or someone who has recently changed address, check that the electricity account is registered correctly.

If the person receiving the qualifying benefit isn't named on the electricity account, this could affect whether the household is identified as eligible for the discount.

Can you get the Warm Home Discount if you're on Universal Credit?

In England and Wales, households receiving Universal Credit can qualify for the Warm Home Discount under the expanded scheme.

The person receiving Universal Credit should check that they are correctly named on the electricity account.

This is particularly important if someone has recently moved home or changed who is responsible for paying the household's energy bill.

What other help is available with energy bills?

The Warm Home Discount is not the only support available to households struggling with energy costs.

The government has recently said that it will remove VAT from energy bills from October.

If you’ve fallen behind on energy bills, its worth looking at whether you could get help worth thousands of pounds with free grants.

Grants are offered by charities funded by major energy companies.

You’ll have to meet different criteria to qualify for the scheme.  

For example, British Gas’ Individual and Families Fund is open to prepayment meter and credit customers who are up to £1,700 in debt. You don’t even need to be a customer of the energy giant to apply.

You’ll need to have a household income of less than £20,328 a year, or someone in the household has more than three children, is registered disabled and receives a disability benefits or carers Allowance.

The account needs to be active and registered to your current home address.