Warm Home Discount 2026/27: the £150 off your electricity bill
Who qualifies for the £150 Warm Home Discount in 2026/27 after the rules were widened, how it's paid, and why most people don't need to apply — plus how Scotland differs.
By Tom Rowland · Updated 21 July 2026 · Sourced to GOV.UK
What the Warm Home Discount is
The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 knocked off your electricity bill over winter. It's not a cash payment — your supplier credits it to your energy account (it can go on your gas account instead if the same supplier provides both). The scheme reopens in October 2026 and the discount is applied to bills over the winter, by 31 March 2027 at the latest.
It runs alongside the Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payments — they're separate schemes, so you can receive more than one.
Who qualifies in 2026/27
In England and Wales the rules were widened in 2025 and stay widened for 2026/27: the old test that your home had to be expensive to heat has been removed, so far more low-income households now qualify — around six million in Great Britain.
You may be eligible if you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, or if you (or your partner) receive a qualifying means-tested benefit — Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, or the Savings Credit part of Pension Credit. In England and Wales you'll usually get it automatically: suppliers and the DWP match the data, and eligible households are sent a letter to confirm (letters go out roughly October to December 2026). If you get a letter asking you to confirm by a date, don't ignore it.
Scotland works differently
In Scotland the discount has a 'core group' who get it automatically (people on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit) and a 'broader group' who are on a low income and meet their supplier's own criteria. The broader group must apply to their energy supplier, and funding is limited and first-come, first-served — so if that's you, apply as soon as the scheme opens rather than leaving it.
Common questions
How much is the Warm Home Discount?
A one-off £150, credited to your electricity bill over winter rather than paid as cash. If your supplier provides both your gas and electricity, it can be applied to the gas account instead.
Do I qualify for the Warm Home Discount?
You may be eligible if you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, or if you or your partner receive a qualifying means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit, income-related ESA, income-based JSA, Income Support, Housing Benefit or Savings Credit. Since 2025 the 'expensive to heat home' test has been removed in England and Wales, so far more people qualify.
Do I need to apply for the Warm Home Discount?
In England and Wales, usually not — it's applied automatically, though some people get a letter asking them to confirm their details by a deadline (don't ignore it). In Scotland, the 'broader group' must apply to their energy supplier, and funds are limited.
When is the Warm Home Discount paid?
The scheme reopens in October 2026 and the £150 is credited to bills over the winter, by 31 March 2027 at the latest.
Can I get the Warm Home Discount and the Winter Fuel Payment?
Yes — they're separate schemes, along with Cold Weather Payments, so you can receive more than one if you're eligible for each.
Sources: GOV.UK — Warm Home Discount: What you'll get · GOV.UK — Warm Home Discount: Eligibility · GOV.UK — Continuing the Warm Home Discount Scheme (government response). PreparedBritain is independent and not affiliated with HM Government.
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