The Warm Home Discount: 2025/2026 updates

In the unlikely event DESNZ and the DWP have not been able to match a household with any of the data they have available, Households will be contacted in writing.

The WHD helpline will open on 27th October 2025 and the contact details will be in the letter you are sent, or on the government's Warm Home Discount page.

Letters are expected to be sent to households between October 2025 and December 2025.

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2026.

If we supply you for both electricity and gas as a dual fuel account, the WHD credit will be added to your credit energy account.

If you have a gas account with a different energy supplier to your electricity, we will apply the payment to your electricity account.

This may be applied as a credit directly to your meter if you are on Smart Pay As You Go, or through energy vouchers you can use to top up your traditional prepay meter.

Vouchers will be sent by letter if this is your preferred method of contact. Or if you have a registered email on your energy account, your vouchers will be emailed directly from Paypoint from noreply@paypoint.com

Previously, the Warm Home Discount scheme was applied across Great Britain, however the Government expanded the scheme in 2022. The scheme in England and Wales was reformed to provide more rebates automatically and improve the targeting of support.

These reforms have not been fully possible in Scotland due to differences in the way data is held, so there is a separate scheme in Scotland.

To see if your postcode is a Scottish address, you can use the Scottish Postcode Directory (SPD) | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk).

DWP uses this database for determining Scottish postcodes for the Core Groups. It is better to use the full postcode to check where you may be eligible.

The eligibility criteria are in the 'Core Group 2: £150 for eligible households section above.

They can also be found at: https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme.

Households that qualify for the Core Group Warm Home Discount will be sent a letter from HM Government. Letters are expected to be sent to qualifying customers between October and December 2025, confirming that they may be eligible for the rebate and any next steps.

Your letter will say if you will receive a rebate automatically or if you need to call the WHD helpline (0800 030 9322) to confirm your details. If advised to, it is important that you call the helpline telephone number included in your letter before the final claim date 28 February 2026.

Please note that there is no longer a ‘Broader Group’ in England and Wales. You no longer need to apply for the Warm Home Discount through your energy supplier.

If you are eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2026.

If you believe you should be eligible for the Warm Home Discount but have not received a letter confirming your eligibility by early January 2026, you should contact the WHD helpline (0800 030 9322).

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between October and December 2025, advising you to contact the helpline to determine if you are eligible for a rebate.

If you are advised to contact the helpline, it is important that you contact the WHD helpline by calling the number included in the letter before the deadline of 28 February 2026. If you do not do so, you will not receive a rebate this winter.

You'll need:

• The reference number from your letter (If You have received one),
• The account holders name on your the Energy Account,
• Your full address &
• Your electricity supplier on The supplier you had on 24th August 2025
• Your letter, which will have your reference number
• Your electricity bill or statement, as you will need to read out the bill payer’s name and account number

If you switch away, but were supplied by us on 24th August 2025 and you are eligible for the Core Warm Home Discount payment, we will be responsible for paying this to you.

If you moved to us after 24th August 2025 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, you will need to contact the supplier who supplied your property on the qualifying date (24th August 2025) as they will be responsible to pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home, but your new property was supplied by us on 24th August 2025 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, we will pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home after the 24th August 2025 and you are eligible, we will pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home but your new property is with another supplier on 11th August 2024, you will need to contact your new supplier about the Warm Home Discount.

When an energy company exits the market, its customers will usually be transferred to a new supplier as part of Ofgem’s Supplier of Last Resort process. We would expect your new supplier to provide you with the rebate. For further information, you should check with your new energy supplier.

Under Core Group 1 or Core Group 2, either you or your partner can be in receipt of the relevant benefit or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.

Please ensure you are both named on the account electricity bill or account of a participating supplier to ensure no delays with providing your WHD rebate.

You/or your partner must be registered on your record on DWP’s benefit system or you will not be eligible for a rebate.

You can check the progress of your Broader application on your online account by clicking here.

If your application is successful, the WHD rebate will be added to your energy account, added as credit to your Smart Pay As You Go electric meter or sent to you as energy vouchers from PayPoint, to top up your traditional prepay meter, by 31 March 2026.

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2026.

If we supply you for both electricity and gas as a dual fuel account, the WHD credit will be added to your credit energy account.

If you have a gas account with a different energy supplier to your electricity, we will apply the payment to your electricity account.

Previously, the Warm Home Discount scheme was applied across Great Britain, however the Government expanded the scheme in 2022. The scheme in England and Wales was reformed to provide more rebates automatically and improve the targeting of support.

These reforms have not been fully possible in Scotland due to differences in the way data is held, so there is a separate scheme in Scotland.

To see if your postcode is a Scottish address, you can use the Scottish Postcode Directory (SPD) | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk).

DWP uses this database for determining Scottish postcodes for the Core Groups. It is better to use the full postcode to check where you may be eligible.

Core Group 1

Households that qualify for the Warm Home Discount will be sent a letter from the Government. Letters are due to be sent to qualifying customers between October and December 2025, confirming that they are eligible for the rebate and any next steps.

Your letter will say if you will receive a rebate automatically or if you need to call the WHD helpline to confirm your details before the deadline of 27 February 2026 if you're eligible so you don't miss out on the payment.

Broader Group

If you are on a low income and/or in receipt of means tested benefits you may be eligible. Applications are currently closed and will open shortly

If you are eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2026.

If you believe you should be eligible for the Core group 1 WHD but have not received a letter confirming your eligibility by early January 2026, please check the government website for more information about the scheme.

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between October and December 2025, advising you to contact the helpline to determine if you are eligible for a rebate.

If advised to, it is important that you call the WHD helpline included in your letter before the deadline of 27 February 2026 if you're eligible so you don't miss out on the payment.

You'll need:

• The reference number from your letter (If You have received one),
• The account holders name on your the Energy Account,
• Your full address &
• Your electricity supplier on The supplier you had on 24th August 2025

As detailed in the declaration section of your signed application, we sometimes need to ask for documentary evidence to support your application.

This is something we need to do under the WHD scheme regulations.

We will contact you to explain what is needed should you be selected to provide evidence of your eligibility for the scheme.

Core Group 1

If you switch away but were supplied with us on 24h August 2025 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, we will be responsible for paying this to you.

If you switched to us after 24th August 2025 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, you will need to contact the supplier that supplied your property on the qualifying date (24th August 2024) as they will be responsible to pay your WHD.

Broader Group

You will need to contact your new supplier to see if they participate in the WHD scheme and re-apply with them.

Core Group 1

If you move home but your new property was supplied by us on 24th August 2025 and you are eligible for Core WHD payment, we will pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home after and you are eligible, we will pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home but your new property is with another supplier on 24th August 2025, you will need to contact your new supplier about the Warm Home Discount.

Broader Group

If you have not received the rebate by the time you have moved house, you will need to contact your new supplier to see if they participate in the WHD scheme and re-apply with them.

Core Group 1

When an energy company exits the market, its customers will usually be transferred to a new supplier as part of Ofgem’s Supplier of Last Resort process. We would expect your new supplier to provide you with the rebate. For further information, you should check with your new energy supplier.

Broader Group

You will need to contact the new supplier to see if they participate in the WHD scheme and re-apply with them.