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Warm Home Discount 2026/27 — £150 Off Winter Electricity Bills

Last reviewed · 7 minute read · Scheme reopens October 2026

For winter 2026/27, the Warm Home Discount is the most generous it has been in years — both in cash terms (still £150) and in coverage (nearly doubled). If you're on benefits in England or Wales, the chances are it's coming to you automatically. This page explains exactly who qualifies, how to make sure you receive it, and what to do if you don't get it by mid-January.

We're independent — no affiliation with any energy supplier. The information below is verified against Ofgem's Warm Home Discount guidance and the 2026/27 Eligibility Statement (laid in Parliament March 2026).

How much you'll get

  • £150 one-off discount on your electricity bill.
  • Applied between October 2026 and 31 March 2027.
  • If you're a dual-fuel customer (gas + electricity with same supplier), you can ask for it to be applied to your gas account instead.
  • If you're on a prepayment meter, the discount is sent as a redeemable voucher in the post — keep an eye on the letterbox.

Who qualifies in 2026/27

England & Wales — the expanded eligibility

For 2026/27, eligibility in England and Wales was significantly broadened compared with earlier years. The previous "high cost to heat" property test (which had restricted ~2.7m households in 2024/25) has been removed. Now eligible:

  • You're named on the electricity bill (or it's a joint account where you're a named partner) and
  • You or your partner receive at least one of these qualifying benefits on the qualifying date (typically late August each year):
    • Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
    • Savings Credit element of Pension Credit
    • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
    • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
    • Income Support
    • Universal Credit
    • Housing Benefit
    • Child Tax Credit
    • Working Tax Credit

Expected reach in winter 2026/27: ~6 million households, up from 3.3 million in winter 2024/25. The expansion alone delivers an extra £405 million per year in bill support to low-income households — a meaningful structural improvement.

Scotland — narrower

Scotland operates differently. For 2026/27:

  • Core Group: automatic for those receiving Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit on the qualifying date. DWP/supplier writes to confirm.
  • Broader Group: closed for Scotland. The Scottish low-income group, which had historically required an application to your supplier, was wound down by end-2025. Eligibility in Scotland is now effectively Pension Credit-only.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland operates a separate scheme administered by the Department for Communities. Eligibility broadly aligns with E&W's Pension Credit-only Core Group. Contact the Department for Communities helpline for current rules.

How the discount is applied

Automatic — most cases (E&W)

For the vast majority of eligible households, the discount is applied automatically. Here's how:

  1. In late summer 2026, DWP runs a data-matching exercise with HMRC and energy supplier customer records.
  2. DWP identifies households where the named electricity account holder receives a qualifying benefit.
  3. DWP writes to those households (typically October-November) confirming they will receive the £150.
  4. The supplier credits the £150 to the account between October 2026 and 31 March 2027.

You don't need to apply, don't need to send forms, don't need to call your supplier. It just happens.

Application required — edge cases

You'll need to actively apply if:

  • Your name on the electricity account doesn't match your name on the benefit claim (common for joint accounts where the named bill-payer is the partner).
  • You've recently switched supplier and the data-matching has missed you.
  • You're a prepayment customer whose meter setup confuses the automatic matching.
  • You qualify via LA Flex or a complex circumstance the algorithm doesn't catch.

If you think you qualify but haven't received a letter by mid-December 2026, contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme Helpline on 0800 030 9322. The application deadline is 28 February 2027.

If you're on a prepayment meter

Prepayment customers receive the discount as a redeemable voucher sent by post. Watch your letterbox between November and January. The voucher is typically valid for 90 days — redeem promptly at any post office or Payzone outlet.

If you switch from prepayment to credit (or vice versa) mid-winter, contact your supplier to confirm how the payment is being delivered.

Can you combine the WHD with other support?

Yes — the Warm Home Discount is independent of other schemes. You can receive it alongside:

  • ECO4 / Warm Homes: Local Grant — for energy efficiency upgrades.
  • Winter Fuel Payment — £200–£300 for state pension age households (universal again from 2025/26, with £35k+ income clawback).
  • Cold Weather Payment — £25 per 7-day cold spell (≤0°C average) for benefit-eligible households between November and March.
  • Household Support Fund — local council-administered, varies by area.
  • Supplier hardship funds — British Gas Energy Trust (£2,000 grants), EDF Energy Customer Support Fund, etc.

Why is the £150 frozen?

The Warm Home Discount amount has been fixed at £150 since 2022. Inflation in that period has eroded its real value by approximately 20%. To return to 2022 purchasing power, it would need to be around £180.

The government consulted on the future of the scheme in Sept–Dec 2025. The response confirmed continuation with the expanded eligibility but didn't commit to a value uplift. Possible options being considered:

  • Status quo at £150 (most likely for 2026/27).
  • Index-linking to inflation from 2027/28 (potentially in the Autumn 2026 Budget).
  • Differential rates for pensioner vs working-age households.

Watch the Autumn 2026 Budget for any announcement.

If you're refused or the discount doesn't arrive

Three steps:

  1. Check your bill carefully — the credit may have arrived under "Warm Home Discount" or "Government rebate" and you missed it.
  2. Contact your supplier. They can check your account for the credit and confirm your status.
  3. Call the Warm Home Discount Scheme Helpline: 0800 030 9322. If your case is genuinely missed, they can intervene.

If your supplier maintains you don't qualify and you disagree, complain to your supplier first, then escalate to the Energy Ombudsman after 8 weeks of unresolved complaint.

The future of the Warm Home Discount

The 2025 consultation response confirmed the scheme will continue beyond 2026/27, with the expanded eligibility retained. The longer-term direction is folding it into the broader Warm Homes Plan support architecture, but no specific date or restructuring has been announced.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Warm Home Discount 2026/27 start?

Eligibility is assessed around late August 2026 (the "qualifying date"). Confirmation letters go out from October. Credits are applied to your electricity bill between October 2026 and 31 March 2027. The application deadline for missed cases is 28 February 2027.

Do I have to apply?

In most cases no — it's automatic via DWP/HMRC data matching. You may need to apply if the named bill-payer differs from the named benefit recipient, or if you've switched supplier recently and the data has caught up.

Can I get the Warm Home Discount on a smart prepayment meter?

Yes. You'll receive it as a voucher rather than a bill credit. Redeem at any Post Office or Payzone outlet within the voucher's validity period (usually 90 days).

What if I'm not a UK resident year-round?

The Warm Home Discount applies to your main UK residence. If you have a UK property as a second home and live abroad most of the year, you don't qualify on that property.

Can both me and my partner receive it?

No. One discount per household. If you and your partner both receive qualifying benefits, only the named bill-payer's account is credited.

What if my supplier isn't part of the scheme?

All UK domestic electricity suppliers with more than 50,000 customers are required to participate. Smaller suppliers can opt in. If your supplier doesn't participate, you can switch to one that does — or stay and not receive the discount. The major suppliers (Octopus, British Gas, EDF, E.ON, OVO, ScottishPower) all participate.

Is the Warm Home Discount taxable?

No. The £150 is not counted as taxable income.

Can a landlord receive WHD on a rented property?

No. The discount goes to the named electricity bill-payer, which must be the tenant. Landlords don't qualify for tenants' discounts.

Sources

Page changelog

  • 19 May 2026 — Initial publication. Reflects 2026/27 expanded eligibility (~6m households, "high cost to heat" test removed) confirmed in regulations laid 23 March 2026.

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