The Warm Home Discount: 2022 / 2023 updates

In the unlikely event BEIS 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 opened on the 14th November 2022, and the contact details will be in the letter you are sent, or can be found online here.

Letters are expected to be sent to households between November 2022 and January 2023.

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2023.

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 a Smart Pay As You Go meter or through energy vouchers to top up your traditional pre-pay 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.

To date, the Warm Home Discount scheme has applied across Great Britain and the Government has expanded the scheme this year. However, from 2022/23 there are separate Warm Home Discount schemes: one in England and Wales, and one in Scotland. The scheme in England and Wales has been reformed to provide more rebates automatically and improves the targeting of support.

These reforms have not been 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 use 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 Broader Group has been replaced in England and Wales with Core Group 2, which has a different eligibility criteria. If you received the WHD as part of the Broader Group last year, you may find that you are no longer eligible for the WHD as part of Core Group 2 this year.

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.

Households that qualify for the Warm Home Discount will be sent a letter from HM Government. Letters are due to be sent to qualifying customers between November 2022 and mid-January 2023, 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 by 28 February 2023 to confirm your details. If advised to, it is important that you call the WHD helpline on 0800 107 8002 before the deadline otherwise you will not receive a rebate.

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 2023.

If you believe you should be eligible for the Warm Home Discount but have not received a letter confirming your eligibility by mid-January 2023, please contact the WHD helpline on 0800 107 8002 before the 28th February 2023.

The WHD helpline opened on the 14 November 2022, and can be reached on 0800 107 8002.

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between November 2022 and mid-January 2023, 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 0800 107 8002 before the deadline of 28 February 2023. If you do not do so, you will not receive a rebate this winter.

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

The rebate will be paid by the energy company who supplied your electricity on the 21 August 2022. If you have switched your electricity supply since then, you can contact your old supplier to confirm how they will issue your discount.

The rebate will be paid by the energy company who supplied your electricity on the 21 August 2022. If you move house after the 21 August 2022, you can contact your old electricity supplier to confirm your new address and arrange payment.

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, 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.

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 pre-pay meter, by 31 March 2023.

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2023.

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.

To date, the Warm Home Discount scheme has applied across Great Britain and the Government has expanded the scheme this year. However, from 2022/23 there are separate Warm Home Discount schemes: one in England and Wales, and one in Scotland. The scheme in England and Wales has been reformed to provide more rebates automatically and improves the targeting of support.

These reforms have not been 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 use 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 November 2022 and mid-January 2023, 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 by 28 February 2023 to confirm your details. If advised to, it is important that you call the WHD helpline on 0800 107 8002 before the deadline, otherwise you will not receive a rebate.

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

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

March 2023.

If you believe you should be eligible for the Core group 1 WHD but have not received a letter confirming your eligibility by mid-January 2023, please check https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme for more information about the scheme or call the WHD helpline on 0800 107 8002.

The WHD helpline opens 14 November 2022.

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between November 2022 and mid-January 2023, 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 0800 107 8002 before the deadline of 28 February 2023. If you do not do so, you will not receive a rebate this winter.

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

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’re regulated to do under the WHD scheme rules to remain compliant.

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

The rebate will be paid by the energy company who supplied your electricity on the 21 August 2022. If you have switched your electricity supply since then, you can contact your old supplier to confirm how they will issue your discount.

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

The rebate will be paid by the energy company who supplied your electricity on the 21 August 2022. If you move house after the 21 August 2022, you can contact your old electricity supplier to confirm your new address and arrange payment.

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.