The Warm Home Discount: 2024 / 2025 updates

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What is the Warm Home Discount (WHD)?

The Warm Home Discount helps eligible customers cover their high winter bills. Customers who qualify receive a credit of £150 towards their energy bills before 31 March 2025.

There are two Warm Home Discount schemes: one for England and Wales, and one for Scotland.

Scottish Broader Group applications are now open

If you live in Scotland, are on low income or are in receipt of means-tested benefits, or receive tax credits, you can now apply for the Scottish Warm Home Discount Broader Group.


If you’re worried you’ll struggle to pay your bills, we have more information about how we can help.

To jump straight to the WHD scheme information that applies to you:

For answers to the most common questions we get from customers:


England and Wales Warm Home Scheme 2024 / 2025

Key dates for the WHD scheme

  • 11 August 2024 is the qualifying date for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2. You must meet the eligibility criteria on this date to be eligible for a rebate. If your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may also become eligible for a rebate.
  • 14 October 2024 the WHD helpline opens for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 customers in England and Wales. If you are eligible, the energy supplier who supplied your electricity on the qualifying date 11 August 2024 will be responsible for providing the rebate.
    • The telephone number for the WHD helpline will be updated here once it is open to customers.
  • Between October and December 2024, letters will be sent to qualifying customers for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2. The letter will confirm if you are eligible for an automatic rebate or advise you to call a helpline to check if you are eligible.
  • If you have not received a letter early January 2025, but you think you should be eligible for a rebate under Core Group 1 or Core Group 2, please check the government website gov.uk for more information on eligibility and contacting the helpline.
  • 28 February 2025 is the deadline to contact the Warm Home Discount helpline if you are advised to get in touch in your letter. Please contact the helpline included in your letter before this date if you're eligible to make sure you don't miss out on the payment.

There are two core groups for this scheme: Core Group 1 (in receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit), and Core Group 2 (customers who meet Low Income Criteria and High Energy Costs Criteria).

If you are in either group, you will receive a £150 credit into your energy account.

Core Group 1: £150 for eligible pensioners


To receive the WHD in this group you (or your partner's) name must be on your energy account, and you (or your partner) need to:

  • receive the ‘Guarantee Credit’ element of Pension Credit.
  • be with an energy supplier who participates in the WHD scheme

If you are in this group you do not need to do anything.

Customers will be contacted in writing between October and December 2024 to be advised of their eligibility for the scheme.

Core Group 2: £150 for eligible households (Low income/high energy costs)


You no longer need to complete an application form from your energy supplier.

Eligible customers will be identified based on Low Income Criteria and High Energy Costs Criteria.

The qualifying date for meeting these criteria is 11 August 2024.

The criteria to qualify for this scheme are:

  • Be with an energy supplier that is part of the WHD scheme
  • Have your name on a bill or account with that supplier
  • You (or your partner) were in receipt of a qualifying means-tested benefit, or tax credit, as listed in the Low Income Criteria section below, on the qualifying date.
  • Live in a property identified as having high energy costs, which is explained in more detail in the High Energy Costs Criteria section below.

Low Income Criteria

Is based on being in receipt of means-tested benefits or tax credits, which includes:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Housing Benefit
  • Pension Credits Savings Credit
  • Child Tax Credits *
  • Working Tax Credits *

* Households in receipt of Tax Credits must be below a household income threshold, adjusted according to household composition. More information can be found here.

If you meet the low income criteria, you also need to meet the new High Energy Costs Criteria.

High Energy Costs Criteria

This criteria is set by the Government department of Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ). They will use data from the Valuations Office Agency (VOA) - another Government department - to identify households which are likely to have high energy costs.

The VOA will use the following benchmarks for this:

  1. Floor area: the larger a property, the more likely it is to have higher energy costs
  2. Property age: older properties are likely to have below average energy efficiency and above average floor areas.
  3. Property type: properties with more external walls - like detached houses - generally have lower energy efficiency, and higher energy costs.

DESNZ will match property data from the VOA with means-tested benefits and Tax credit data held by DWP and HMRC. This will help them identify those who are on low incomes, and likely to live in a property that's more expensive to heat.

Where data on a property is missing, DESNZ will consider these additional criteria:

  1. Information on other properties nearby
  2. The Energy Performance Rating (EPC) of a property
  3. Other information available in the Land Registry

How can I check if I'm eligible?


If you have not received a letter by January 2025 but you think you should be eligible, please check https://www.gov.uk/check-if-youre-eligible-for-warm-home-discount, an online tool for checking your eligibility and information on how to contact the WHD helpline.

Scotland Warm Home Scheme 2024 / 2025


Key Dates for the WHD scheme

  • 11 August 2024 is the qualifying date for a Core Group 1 rebate. You must meet the eligibility criteria on this date to be eligible for a rebate. If your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may also become eligible for a rebate.
  • 18 September 2024 is the opening date for Broader Group applications. Applications will close once spaces have been filled, so we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible.
  • 14 October 2024 the WHD helpline will open and is for Core Group 1 customers in Scotland.
  • If you are eligible, the energy supplier who supplied your electricity on the qualifying date will be responsible for providing the rebate.
  • Between October and December 2024, letters will be sent to qualifying customers for Core Group 1. The letter will confirm that they are eligible for an automatic rebate or advise you to call a helpline to check if you are eligible.
  • If you have not received a letter by mid-January 2025, but you think you should be eligible for a rebate under Core Group 1.
    • The WHD helpline number will be updated here when it is available.
  • 28 February 2025 is the deadline to contact the Warm Home Discount helpline if you are advised to get in touch in your letter about your Core Group 1 claim. Please contact the helpline included in your letter before this date if you're eligible to make sure you don't miss out on the payment.
  • Your energy supplier will apply the rebate no later than 31 March 2025.
  • Broader group applications are now open: apply here.

Unlike the Core Group 2 scheme in England and Wales, customers who are on low income and on certain benefits need to apply for the Broader Group.

This is because Scotland has no equivalent of the Valuations Office Agency (VOA), as referenced in the Core Group 2 criteria for England and Wales.

This means there is no way to identify customers who may fall into the high energy costs criteria, so you will need to provide information as with previous years WHD schemes.

There are two groups for this scheme: Core Group 1 (in receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit), and Broader Group (customers who meet low income and vulnerability criteria).

If you are in either group, you will receive a £150 credit into your energy account.

Core Group: £150 for eligible pensioners


To receive the WHD in this group you (or your partner's) name must be on your energy account, and you (or your partner) need to meet these criteria:

  • Receive the ‘Guarantee Credit’ element of Pension Credit.
  • Be with an energy supplier who participates in the WHD scheme.

If you are in this group you do not need to do anything.

Customers will be contacted in writing by mid-December to be advised of their eligibility for the scheme. They'll send you a letter letting you know whether:

  • You're getting the discount automatically and you'll receive £150 credit into your energy account before the 31st March 2025, or
  • You need to contact the WHD Helpline.

Broader Group: application scheme £150


Scottish Broader Group applications are now open

If you live in Scotland, are on low income or are in receipt of means-tested benefits, or receive tax credits, you can now apply for the Scottish Warm Home Discount Broader Group.


If you are NOT in receipt of the Guaranteed Element of Pension Credit, but receiving means tested benefits and/or on low income, you may be eligible for the Broader Group Scheme.

Applications received before the scheme closed will still be reviewed. Successful applications will be approved and WHD payment applied before the 31st March 2025.

You can review the status of your WHD application in your online account.

Frequently Asked Questions: WHD for England and Wales

What if I meet the low income criteria and receive a letter saying I have not been automatically matched for WHD?

×

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 14 October 2024, 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 and December 2024.

When will I get my payment?

×

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2025.

Can my payment be applied to my gas account?

×

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.

I'm on a prepayment meter, how will I be paid?

×

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

Why are there different schemes in England and Wales and in Scotland?

×

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.

I live in the borders. How will I know if I am eligible in England and Wales or 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.

What is the Core Group 2?

×

The eligibility criteria are in the 'Core Group 2: £150 for eligible households (Low income/high energy costs)' section above.

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

How will I know if I qualify?

×

Households that qualify for the Warm Home Discount will be sent a letter from HM Government. Letters are expected to be sent to qualifying customers between October and December 2024, 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 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 2025.

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 2025.

If I have not received a letter and I believe I am eligible, what should I do?

×

If you believe you should be eligible for the Warm Home Discount but have not received a letter confirming your eligibility by early January 2025, you should contact the WHD helpline. The number for this helpline will be added to this page when it is available.

I have received a letter advising me to contact the helpline. When should I call?

×

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between October and December 2024, 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 2025. If you do not do so, you will not receive a rebate this winter.

What information will I need when I call the helpline?

×

You'll need:

  • 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

I am eligible and I've switched to a new supplier. Will I still receive the payment?

×

If you switch away, but were supplied by us on 11th August 2024 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 11th August 2024 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, you will need to contact the supplier who supplied your property on the qualifying date as they will be responsible to pay your Warm Home Discount.

I am eligible and I've moved house. How will I receive the payment?

×

If you move home, but your new property was supplied by us on 11th August 2024 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, we will pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home after the 11th August 2024 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.

I am eligible for a rebate, but my supplier has failed. Will I receive a rebate?

×

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.

I live with my partner who is named on the energy bill, but I am eligible under the criteria. Will we receive the discount?

×

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, so long as one of you is listed on the electricity bill or account of a participating supplier.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: WHD for Scotland

How will I know if my Broader Group application has been successful?

×

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 2025.

When will I get my payment?

×

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2025.

Can my payment be applied to my gas account?

×

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.

Why are there different schemes in England and Wales and in Scotland?

×

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.

I live in the borders. How will I know if I am eligible in England and Wales or 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.

How will I know if I qualify?

×

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 2024, 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. If advised to, it is important that you call the helpline telephone number included in your letter before the deadline of 28 February 2024 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. Apply now and we will review your application.

Applications are currently closed, but will open shortly.

If I have not received a letter advising me to contact the helpline and I believe I am eligible, what should I do?

×

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 2025, please check the government website for more information about the scheme.

I have received a letter advising me to contact the helpline. When should I call?

×

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between October and December 2024, 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 28 February 2024 if you're eligible so you don't miss out on the payment.

What information will I need when I call the helpline?

×

You'll need:

  • 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

My Broader application has been selected for audit. What do I need to do next?

×

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.

I am eligible and I've switched to a new supplier; will I still receive the payment?

×

Core Group 1

If you switch away but were supplied with us on 11th August 2024 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, we will be responsible for paying this to you.

If you switched to us after 11th August 2024 and you are eligible for the Core WHD payment, you will need to contact the supplier that supplied your property on the qualifying date (11th 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.

I am eligible and I've moved house, how will I receive the payment?

×

Core Group 1

If you move home but your new property was supplied by us on 11th August 2024 and you are eligible for Core WHD payment, we will pay your Warm Home Discount.

If you move home after the 11th August 2024 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.

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.

I am eligible for a rebate, but my supplier has failed. Will I receive a rebate?

×

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.

Published on 25th October 2022 by:

image of Lil Murdoch

Lil Murdoch

Warm Home Discount Operations Manager

Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!

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