Warm Home Discount can get you £150 off energy bills – what is it and who can get it?

Person adjusting the settings on their radiator

(Image credit: elenaleonova via Getty Images)

published 15 August 2025

Temperatures in the UK are soaring this summer with Britain having experienced four heatwaves so far.

Because of this, more people may be thinking more about the cost of air conditioning than saving money on their energy bills when the winter arrives.

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What is the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme that is designed to help certain households keep the heating on during the winter months.

It was introduced in 2011 and gives eligible households £150 off their energy bills.

It is not a cash payment, like the Winter Fuel Payment. Rather, it’s applied as a credit on eligible households’ energy accounts at some point between October and March.

The date the credit will be given this winter is not yet announced.

Who can get the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount is not available to all households in the country. Instead, to get the energy credit, you have to be on a means-tested benefit.

The government has said that households in England and Wales will be eligible for the discount if they are in receipt of any of the following benefits:

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

This means that around six million households are expected to get the discount this year, 2.7 million more than last year according to the government’s estimates.

It is worth checking, however, that your energy supplier participates in the scheme. A full list of suppliers that offer the Warm Home Discount can be found on gov.uk.

You may be able to get the discount if your household is on the Ofgem energy price cap or if you switched to a fixed energy tariff.

How to get the Warm Home Discount

Getting the Warm Home Discount is usually automatic.

However, the government has urged those who think they are eligible to make sure they are named on their electricity bill by 24 August so they are able to get the payment.

This is because energy providers use the names and addresses on energy bills to automatically put the credit on your account.

Last winter 96% of eligible households received their discount automatically through this route.

However, those who have recently moved home or switched their energy supplier may not be named on their energy bills yet and could miss out.

The government adds that households on pre-payment meters who use a key or card to top up will also need to ensure that their household’s account is registered in their name to make the most of the discount.

If you think you should have received the discount and did not automatically get it, then the government says you should contact your energy supplier in the first instance.

If your supplier cannot help, then they advise you to write to the Warm Home Discount Scheme. Details of how to do this are on gov.uk.

Can you get the Warm Home Discount and the Winter Fuel Allowance?

If you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount and also the Winter Fuel Allowance, then you will be able to get both as they are two separate government schemes.

While the government had previously said they would restrict the Winter Fuel Allowance just to pensioners on Pension Credit, they backtracked from this position in June.

From this October, pensioners with an annual income under £35,000 will get the up-to £300 cash payment.

If you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount as well, then you will be able to get an additional £150 off your energy bills this winter.

We explain how to boost your chances of getting the Winter Fuel Payment in a separate piece.

Daniel is a digital journalist at Moneyweek and enjoys writing about personal finance, economics, and politics. He previously worked at The Economist in their Audience team.

Daniel studied History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and specialised in the history of political thought. In his free time, he likes reading, listening to music, and cooking overambitious meals.