Everything to Know About the Warm Home Discount Scheme
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is an energy rebate offered to citizens in the UK, that is, England, Scotland, and Wales. It is a €150 discount on one’s electricity bill for winter 2022 to 2023 for those who qualify. The scheme is meant to help households at risk of fuel poverty by reducing their energy bill payments. However, this discount does not affect the Cold Weather or Winter Fuel payments.
What is the eligibility criteria for Warm Home Discount schemes?
Depending on where one resides, there are different eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The scheme only applies in England, Scotland, and Wales, not Northern Ireland.
- If one gets the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
- If one is on a low income but has high energy costs.
For Scotland, the criteria include the following:
- If one gets the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
- If one is on a low income and meets their energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme.
People could also qualify if they receive benefits and tax credits such as:
- Housing Benefits
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
How does one apply for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
If one is eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme, they will receive a letter between November 2022 and January 2023 for an automatic discount on their electricity bill. Some may be required to call a helpline by the end of February to confirm specific details. This discount will be applied by 31 March 2023.
However, one may apply if one does not receive a letter by mid-January. To do so, they must call the Warm Home Discount Helpline before 28 February 2023.
Which companies are participating in the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
The following energy suppliers are a part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme:
- Affect Energy
- Atlantic
- Boost
- British Gas
- British Gas Evolve (formerly British Gas X)
- Bulb Energy
- Co-op Energy
- E (Gas and Electricity)
- Ecotricity
- E.ON
- E.ON Next
- EDF
- Green Energy UK (GEUK)
- Good Energy
- London Power
- M&S Energy
- Nabuh Energy
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox The Market
- OVO
- Rebel Energy
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Gas
- Scottish Hydro
- Scottish Power
- Shell Energy Retail
- So Energy
- Southern Electric
- SSE
- Swalec
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
Each company may apply the rebate differently, based on the type of meter connection offered: credit, prepayment, or a smart pay-as-you-go meter. It is essential to check with the supplier if one is eligible for this discount. While certain rebates may be directly credited into one’s account or electricity meter, others may receive them in the mail along with instructions on redeeming them.
A person may still be eligible for this rebate if their supplier stops trading, as Ofgem will appoint a new supplier.
Is it different from the cold weather or the winter fuel payments?
Yes! One may be eligible for the cold weather payment and the warm home discount. The cold weather payment is a €25 payment to benefit applicants when the temperature falls below zero degrees Celsius for one week between November 2022 and March 2023. These are paid automatically.
The Winter Fuel Payment, on the other hand, applies to people born on or before 25 September 1956. Here, they can receive €250 to €600 as an aid to pay their heating bills. For this financial year, this amount includes a pensioner cost of living payment to the tune of €150 to €300. This payment generally applies automatically to eligible people who do not require a particular application.
How does one get in touch with the Warm Home Discount Helpline?
One needs to call the Warm Home Discount Helpline to apply for the Warm Home Discount scheme. Their telephone number, 0800-107-8002, is operational between 8 am and 6 pm, from Monday and Friday.
They can also be reached via the following address:
110552 Warm Home Discount Scheme
PO Box 26965
Glasgow
G1 9BW
Do people living in park homes qualify for the Warm Home Discount too?
Yes, some people living in park homes have been included in this scheme since 2015. However, the application process is slightly different since they do not have secure metered connections with energy companies. To be eligible for this scheme, one of the household members must be eligible for pension credit or receive one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based JSA
- Income-related ESA
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Gross Annual Household Income (before tax and deductions) lower than €17,005.
They must also receive the following:
- State pension
- Limited Capability for Work (as a part of Universal Credit)
- Responsible for a child under 18 years of age
- Disabled child element
- Disability or Pensioner premiums
- Disability benefits
- Hold a medical or maternity exemption certificate
They must then fill in an application with Charis Grants using a valid email address, a bank/building society account address with a sort code, and benefit and income details for all the household members. In accordance with current regulations and available funding, Charis selects a select number of applications at random.
