The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount taken off your electricity bill for winter 2026-27. If you are eligible, you usually do not need to apply: your electricity supplier applies the discount to your bill automatically, and the money is never paid to you directly. With energy bills set to rise again this winter, it is one of the main forms of help available to households on means-tested benefits, alongside the Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payments.

This guide explains exactly what the Warm Home Discount is, who qualifies in England, Wales and Scotland, when the £150 will appear on your bill, and what to do if you think you are eligible but no letter arrives. All figures and dates come from GOV.UK, checked on 9 November 2026.

What is the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a government scheme that gives eligible households a one-off £150 discount off their electricity bill. GOV.UK describes it plainly: the discount is applied by your electricity supplier to your bill, and the money is not paid to you. You cannot choose to take the £150 as cash, and you cannot ask for it to be paid into your bank account instead.

If your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity, you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead. Contact your supplier to find out whether that is possible with your account. The discount does not affect your Cold Weather Payment or your Winter Fuel Payment: if you qualify for those as well, you still get them in full.

The scheme runs through the winter. For 2026-27, suppliers must apply the discount to eligible customers' bills by 31 March 2027. Most people who qualify will hear about it first in a letter, sent between late October 2026 and early January 2027.

How much is the Warm Home Discount worth?

The discount is £150 for winter 2026-27. It is a single one-off reduction, not £150 a month and not a recurring payment. It is taken off your electricity bill by your supplier, so it reduces the amount you owe rather than giving you money to spend.

Because it is a bill discount rather than a cash payment, it works differently from most benefits. There is nothing to spend, nothing to report to the Department for Work and Pensions, and no effect on your other benefits. If you use a prepayment or pay-as-you-go electricity meter, you can still qualify: your supplier will tell you how you will get the discount, for example as a voucher you can use to top up your meter.

The £150 is the same for every eligible household. It does not vary with the size of your home, how much energy you use, or which supplier you are with, as long as your supplier is part of the scheme.

Who can get the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales?

In England and Wales, you may be eligible if all of the following applied on 23 August 2026: your energy supplier is part of the scheme, you or your partner receive certain means-tested benefits, and your name, or your partner's name, is on the electricity bill. This is known as being in the "core group".

The qualifying means-tested benefits are Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Pension Credit. If you or your partner received one of these on 23 August 2026 and your supplier is in the scheme, you should be in the core group. The qualifying date matters: it is the position on that single date that counts, not whether you claim a qualifying benefit later in the winter.

You will usually get the discount automatically if you are eligible. You should get a letter between late October 2026 and early January 2027 confirming that you do not need to do anything, or telling you that you need to give more information. If your letter says you need to give more information, it will tell you to call the helpline by 26 February 2027 to confirm your details. Your supplier will then apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2027.

If you do not get a letter by early January 2027 and you think you are eligible, contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme. You must contact them before 26 February 2027. The helpline is 0800 030 9322, open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and the postal address is Warm Home Discount Scheme, PO Box 970, Preston PR2 0FX.

What if you live in Scotland?

Scotland works differently. The same qualifying date of 23 August 2026 applies, and your supplier must be part of the scheme, but whether the discount is automatic depends on which benefit you receive. You will get the discount automatically if you or your partner receive Pension Credit, an extra amount of Universal Credit because you or your child has a disability or health condition, a disability premium or a pensioner premium of income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or a disability premium or a pensioner premium together with a Support for Mortgage Interest loan.

You will also get it automatically if you or your partner has responsibility for a child under five who normally lives with you and you are unemployed and receive Universal Credit, receive income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or have a Support for Mortgage Interest loan. This group is also known as the core group.

If you do not get the discount automatically in Scotland, you will need to apply directly to your energy supplier. This is known as the "broader group". Your supplier may have extra eligibility criteria of its own, and it will tell you which benefits mean you are eligible. Contact your supplier as early as possible and check with it even if you were eligible for a discount last year, because the number of discounts suppliers can give is limited. If you are eligible, your supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2027, and you will need to stay with that supplier until it is paid.

Which energy suppliers are in the scheme?

Most large suppliers are part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme. GOV.UK lists the participating suppliers as 100Green, Boost, British Gas, E (Gas and Electricity), Ecotricity, EDF, E.ON Next, Fuse Energy, Good Energy, Home Energy, London Power, Octopus Energy, Outfox Energy, OVO, Sainsbury's Energy, ScottishPower, So Energy, Square 1 Energy, TruEnergy, Tulo Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse, with some suppliers listed under their parent brands, such as Co-op Energy under Octopus Energy and Scottish Gas under British Gas.

If your supplier is not part of the scheme, you cannot get the discount through it. If the electricity supplier you were with stops trading, you may still be eligible: Ofgem will appoint a new supplier for you, and you should check with that new supplier whether you are eligible for the discount.

Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payment compared

The three main winter energy payments are easy to confuse, but they are separate schemes with separate rules. The Warm Home Discount is a £150 discount off your electricity bill, paid by your supplier. The Winter Fuel Payment is a payment for people above State Pension age, covered in a separate Daily Byte explainer, and Cold Weather Payments are £25 payments made automatically when the average temperature in your area is 0°C or below for seven days in a row during the season from 1 November to 31 March.

Getting one does not stop you getting the others. GOV.UK states explicitly that the Warm Home Discount will not affect your Cold Weather Payment or your Winter Fuel Payment, so a household that qualifies for more than one receives each in full.

What if you live in a park home or use a prepayment meter?

You can still qualify for the discount if you use a prepay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter. Your electricity supplier can tell you how you will get the discount if you are eligible, for example a voucher you can use to top up your meter. The £150 is still a discount on your electricity costs, even though the way it reaches you is different.

If you live in a park, or mobile, home, you apply a different way. Park-home residents apply through the Park Homes Warm Home Discount route run by Charis, rather than through the standard scheme. Check the GOV.UK page for the scheme for the current application route if this applies to you.

What to do if you do not get a letter

If you think you are eligible and you have not received a letter by early January 2027, contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme before 26 February 2027. That deadline matters: it is the last date by which you must get in touch if you have not heard anything. The helpline is 0800 030 9322, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. If you cannot hear or speak on the phone, Relay UK is available on 18001 then 0800 229 4325.

One exception applies in Scotland: if you applied directly to your energy supplier under the broader group, you will not get a letter from the Warm Home Discount Scheme. In that case, contact your energy supplier instead of the helpline.

Before you call, it helps to have your electricity bill and your benefit details to hand, so you can confirm that your name is on the bill and which benefit you were receiving on 23 August 2026. If your circumstances have changed since that date, for example if you have changed supplier or moved home, tell the helpline or your supplier, because it can affect how the discount is applied.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Warm Home Discount £150 cash? No. It is a one-off £150 discount applied to your electricity bill by your supplier. The money is not paid to you, and it cannot be taken as cash.

Do I need to apply for the Warm Home Discount? Usually not. In England and Wales, most eligible households get it automatically. In Scotland, some people need to apply directly to their energy supplier under the broader group, and park-home residents apply through a separate route.

When will I get the £150? Your supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2027. Letters confirming eligibility are sent between late October 2026 and early January 2027.

Can I get the Warm Home Discount and the Winter Fuel Payment? Yes. GOV.UK states that the discount will not affect your Winter Fuel Payment or your Cold Weather Payment.

What if my supplier is not in the scheme? You cannot get the discount through a supplier that is not part of the scheme. Most large suppliers are included; GOV.UK lists all participating suppliers.

Sources: GOV.UK, "Warm Home Discount Scheme", checked 9 November 2026; GOV.UK, "Cold Weather Payment", for the £25 payment and 1 November to 31 March season. This article is general information, not personal benefits advice: if you are unsure whether you qualify, contact the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322.