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Brits are urged to check if they could qualify for money off their energy bills this winter, with 28 suppliers offering financial support. Under the Warm Home Discount scheme eligible households can get £150 towards their energy costs every year.
It’s available to six million households in England, Scotland and Wales. Financial gurus at Money Saving Expert – the website founded by Martin Lewis – explained how the discount works: “The £150 is typically deducted from your electricity bill, but you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead, as long as your supplier provides both your gas and electricity.
“You’ll need to contact your supplier to find out if the discount can be applied to your gas bill instead. There’s one scheme for England and Wales, and a different scheme for Scotland.
“In England and Wales, most should now get it automatically. But if you’re in Scotland, some will need to apply.
“Energy suppliers open their application process in September or October. Similarly, if you live in a park home, you’ll also need to apply.
“There is no equivalent scheme in Northern Ireland, but see our Northern Ireland energy guide for other support you can get and tips for cutting your bills.”
After a “shake-up” of the Warm Home Discount scheme this year, all households in England and Wales who are receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit should get the discount automatically. This applies as long as your supplier is part of the scheme.
Are you eligible?
The first thing to check is whether your supplier offers the scheme. There are 28 suppliers currently offering the discount:
- 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
- Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
- Boost
- British Gas
- Bulb Energy – see Octopus Energy
- Co-op Energy – see Octopus Energy
- E – also known as E (Gas and Electricity)
- Ecotricity
- E.ON Next
- EDF
- Fuse Energy
- Good Energy
- Home Energy
- London Power
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox Energy
- OVO
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Gas – see British Gas
- ScottishPower
- Shell Energy Retail
- So Energy
- Square 1 Energy Ltd
- Tomato Energy
- TruEnergy
- Tulo Energy
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
MSE advises that if you’re in England or Wales, you should get it automatically if you received one of the following means-tested benefits and you were named on your electricity account or bill on August 24, 2025 (the qualifying date for the payment):
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
According to MSE, if you’re eligible, you should receive a letter by early January 2026 confirming this. The letter will also tell you if you’ll get it automatically, or if you need to provide more information, but be wary of scams.
If you need help, or haven’t received your letter by early January and think you’re eligible, you can call the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. You must contact the helpline by February 28, 2026.
If you live in Scotland, it is likely you need to apply for the discount. For more information on this, visit the MSE website here.
How and when will I get the £150?
Money Saving Expert says that how you get the discount depends on how you pay for your electricity. However, regardless of how you pay, the £150 will almost always be a discount on your bill, not a cash payment.
If you’re on a standard credit or smart prepayment meter, you should get the £150 automatically added as credit on your electricity account sometime between October 2025 and March 2026, as long as you were named on your electricity account or bill by the qualifying date (24 August 2025).
If you’re on a traditional prepayment meter, you should be sent a top-up voucher by post, email or text, though some may receive a cheque. You have 90 days to redeem the voucher, but your supplier can reissue it if you lose it or it expires.
MSE said: “You’ll need to redeem the voucher at the Post Office or a PayPoint shop. In most cases, you’ll need proof of identity, such as your passport or driving licence.”
To find out more visit the Government website here.
