Warm Home Discount letters are arriving. What the £150 letter means and what to do

The Warm Home Discount takes £150 off your electricity bill once each winter. For 2026 to 2027, anyone in England and Wales on a means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit on 23 August 2026 can get it, and most people get it without applying. Letters are going out from 22 October until January 2027; some say the discount is automatic and some ask you to phone a helpline before 26 February 2027.

• ✓You or your partner got a qualifying means-tested benefit on 23 August 2026. In England and Wales the government's eligibility statement lists Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit), Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• ✓Your name, or your partner's, was on the electricity bill on 23 August 2026
• ✓Your electricity supplier takes part in the scheme (all larger suppliers do)
• ✓You live in England, Wales or Scotland

Not for you if…

• ✕People in Northern Ireland, where the scheme does not run
• ✕People who were not on a qualifying benefit on 23 August 2026, even if they claim one later
• ✕People whose name is not on the electricity bill, such as many lodgers or tenants whose landlord pays the bills
• ✕Customers of a small supplier that has not joined the scheme

Tax year Scheme year 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027

1. 1

   Read the letter carefully

   Letters are going to households in England and Wales from the week of 22 October 2026 until January 2027. The letter will say either that the discount will be applied automatically, or that you need to phone the helpline and give more information.

2. 2

   If the letter says the discount is automatic, you do not need to do anything

   Your supplier adds the £150 to your account. It shows up as a credit on your bill, not as cash in your bank.

3. 3

   If the letter asks you to call, phone the number printed on the letter before 26 February 2027

   Use the number on the letter itself. The government has warned people not to follow links in unexpected emails or texts about the discount.

   Takes about About 10 minutes

4. 4

   If you use a prepayment meter, wait for your supplier to explain how you get it

   Prepayment customers still qualify. The supplier tells you how it is applied, for example a voucher to top up your meter.

5. 5

   If you live in Scotland, check whether you need to apply to your supplier

   Some people in Scotland get it automatically. Others in the wider group still apply directly to their supplier, which sets its own rules.

• Get benefits: If you were on Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA or Pension Credit on 23 August 2026, you are likely to get £150 off your electricity bill.
• State Pension age or over: Pension Credit (both parts) counts. State Pension on its own does not.
• Children under 5: The government says about 1 million families with children got the discount last winter after the scheme was widened. In Scotland, some families with a child under 5 on certain benefits are in the automatic group.

England and Wales

Automatic for most people on a qualifying means-tested benefit on 23 August 2026. Letters confirm what happens next.

Scotland

A separate scheme with the same £150 and the same 23 August 2026 qualifying date. A core group, including people on Pension Credit, gets it automatically. Others apply to their supplier, which sets its own criteria approved by Ofgem.

Northern Ireland

The Warm Home Discount does not run in Northern Ireland. GOV.UK points to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's Affordable Warmth scheme instead.

1. 23 August 2026

   Qualifying date

   You needed to be on a qualifying benefit and named on the bill on this day.

2. 22 October 2026

   Letters start

   Letters to England and Wales go out from this week until January 2027.

3. 26 February 2027

   Helpline deadline

   Call before this date if your letter asks you to.

4. 31 March 2027

   Scheme year ends

   Suppliers apply this year's discounts by 31 March 2027.

Means-tested benefit

A benefit that depends on your income and savings, such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit.

Qualifying date

The single day, 23 August 2026, on which you had to meet the rules.

Core group

The people who get the discount automatically through a data match between the government and suppliers.

Broader group

In Scotland only, people who apply to their supplier under the supplier's own rules.

Prepayment meter

A meter you top up before you use energy, often with a key, card or app.