People receiving means-tested benefits must be named on their energy bill by August 23 to receive the £150 Warm Home Discount
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has issued an update for millions of people in the UK, reminding them to check their eligibility for a £150 discount on energy bills this winter, with many set to save. The government is urging eligible households to check they are named on their bill to get the Warm Home Discount automatically.
Every household where the billpayer is on means-tested benefits is eligible for the rebate, following the scheme’s expansion last year. This meant nearly a million additional families with children received extra support with the cost of living last winter.
Around six million households will get the rebate this winter, including around 250,000 automatically for the first time in Scotland. The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill. If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.
In England and Wales, households in receipt of Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit and Universal Credit will be eligible. This is the same cohort as last winter.
The DESNZ’s reminder update comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that he is removing VAT from domestic electricity bills as of October 1. It was one of his first decisions in office, saving £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Families will be worried about their energy bills this winter and our focus is on giving them breathing space, as we continue to work to bring down bills. Almost a million more families with children received the £150 Warm Home Discount last winter, after we expanded the scheme.”
She urges people to check if they are eligible and to spread the news. “If you know someone who might benefit, please start spreading the word and encourage them to check they are named on their energy bill”, Miatta Fahnbulleh said.
The government is issuing a call to eligible households to check they are named on their electricity bill, with suppliers set to rely on customers’ records as of Sunday, August 23. Someone might not be named on their electricity bill if they have recently moved house.
Eligible customers 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. Earlier this year, the government confirmed that millions of eligible households will receive the Warm Home Discount for the rest of the decade, with the scheme set to continue through to 2030/31.
Last year’s Budget has taken an average £150 of costs off energy bills, which is factored into bills for the years to come. The Warm Homes Plan will also reduce energy use, lower bills for millions of households and help lift households out of fuel poverty.
