Warm Home Discount Scheme – what is it?

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a government initiative to help some people with their electricity bills over the winter months, between September and March.

The scheme pays £140 towards your electricity bill, with the money being paid to your electricity company, rather than to you. The energy company is then expected to pass these savings to you by way of a discount or credit to your account.

If you are a duel fuel energy customer, then you can choose to use this one off payment towards your gas bill, instead. You just need to discuss this with your energy supplier.

There are eligibility criteria to consider, and not all energy companies, particularly some of the small independent energy suppliers, participate in the scheme.

Warm Discount Scheme eligibility criteria

If you are on a low income or receive means tested benefits, you are likely to qualify for this payment, however you should always discuss your situation with your energy company.

If you are eligible, then it is important that you do not switch away from your energy company until you receive the payment. Although it is always good to use your energy switching power, make your switch to a better deal before applying for the warm discount scheme payment.

A pensioner in her garden

If the receive the guarantee credit element of your pension credit then you are likely to benefit from this scheme as long as you were receiving this guarantee on 9th July 2017 and your or your partner’s name was listed on the energy bill.

If you are eligible because you receive the guarantee credit, you should have received a letter telling you how to apply for the scheme.

If you didn’t receive this letter then you should phone the Warm Home Discount Team on 0345 603 9439. They are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 4.30pm.

Energy companies offering the Warm Home Discount Scheme

Energy companies must have at least 250,000 customers before they can participate in the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

Unfortunately this rules out many of the smaller independent suppliers, which is a shame as they offer some very good green energy and cost effective tariffs.

However, if you are eligible for this scheme then you should look for the best deals among the following companies who are participating in the Warm Home scheme:

  • Atlantic Energy
  • Bristol Energy
  • British Gas
  • Co-operative Energy
  • Economy Energy
  • EDF Energy
  • E.ON
  • Extra Energy
  • First Utility
  • Fischer Energy
  • GB Energy
  • Manweb
  • M&S Energy
  • npower
  • Our Power
  • OVO Energy
  • Sainsbury’s Energy
  • Scottish Gas
  • Scottish Hydro
  • Scottish Power
  • Southern Electric
  • Spark Energy
  • SSE
  • SWALEC
  • Utiita
  • Utiily Warehouse

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