Super User

Warm Home Discount 2025, Government reminder

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
August 15, 2025
22 replies
1177 views

The qualifying rules for the 2025 Warm Home Discount have changed from the 2024 rules- the property size/age rules have been scrapped so more will qualify this year than last year.

The Government have this week issued a Press Release reminding people in receipt of Income Related (means tested) benefits to check that they are named as the billpayer on their electricity bill to be eligible for the 2025 Warm Home Discount.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/reminder-to-eligible-households-to-get-150-off-energy-bills

Every household where the billpayer receives an eligible means-tested benefit will now be in line for the discount, after the government removed restrictions that previously excluded many who needed help with bills.
In England and Wales, this means households in receipt of Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit will now be eligible.
……...
The government is now issuing a call to eligible households to check they are named on their electricity bill, with suppliers set to rely on customers’ records as of Sunday 24 August.
Someone might not be named on their electricity bill if they have recently moved house and changed supplier.

Update - OVO’s 2025-2026 scheme is now open for those living in SCOTLAND, (Core Group 2 those who recieve an Income Related benefit) to register.See the post below by Emmanuelle_OVO

A further note to make clear that you do not necessarily have to be the named bill payer to get the WHD.

Being the named bill payer just makes it easier for the government to match IR benefit recipients with electricity accounts and tell the supplier to make the WHD credit to the account automatically.

In past years we have seen where people on benefits who were not named as bill payers still had the Warm Home Discount paid into the electricity account for their ‘household’ even though it was not in their name. (It just took a bit longer for the government to do the necessary matching).
Although it’s not absolutely certain we can only assume that the government will be doing the same this year?

There will also be other ways for the WHD credit to be given to you if you get an IR benefit.
Say for example you have a PAYG meter they usually give top-up vouchers which you can use to top-up your meter.
(Although with smart meter PAYG they may be able to add the credit remotely),

There will be more details when the scheme goes 'Live' later this year.

Pinned Reply By Nukecad

Some more information, and key dates, about the 2025/2026 Warm Home Discount schemes in England/Wales and in Scotland

If you live in England or Wales:

If get the ‘Guarantee Credit’ element of Pension Credit or are on a qualifying Income Related benefit then you will automatically qualify for the Warm Home Discount in either Core Group 1 or Core Group 2.

You will be sent a letter confirming that you qualify, or asking you to contact the WHD helpline, see below.

Key dates for the Warm Home Discount for Customers in England and Wales:

24 August 2025 was the qualifying date for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 in England and Wales.
If you met the eligibility criteria on this date you are eligible for the WHD.
If your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may also become eligible for WHD.

Later this year WHD helpline opens for 2025/2026 scheme year and is for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 customers in England and Wales.

Between October 2025 and December 2025, letters will be sent to qualifying customers for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2.
The letter will confirm if you have qualified for an automatic WHD or advise you to call a helpline to check if you are eligible.

If you have not received a letter by mid-January 2026, but you think you should be eligible for WHD under Core Group 1 or Core Group 2, you will need to contact the WHD helpline when it opens later this year.

27 February 2026 is the deadline to contact the Warm Home Discount helpline if you are advised to get in touch in your letter.

If you live in Scotland then the qualifying rules are different.

Core Group 1:
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.

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 2026, or
You need to contact the WHD helpline.

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.
Customers in Scotland who fall under the Broader Group will need to submit an application to receive the Warm Home Discount.
Successful applications will be approved and WHD payment applied before the 31st March 2026.
Applications received before the scheme closes will still be reviewed.

The Scottish Broader Group applications are now open at OVO, if you believe that you qualify for the Broader Group in Scotland then you can apply now.

Key dates for the Warm Home Discount for Customers in Scotland:

24 August 2025 was the qualifying date for Core Group 1 in Scotland.
If you met the eligibility criteria on this date you are eligible for the WHD.
If your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may also become eligible for WHD.

Later this year the WHD helpline will open for the 2025 and 2026 scheme year and is for Core Group 1 customers in Scotland.

Between October 2025 and December 2025, letters will be sent to qualifying customers for Core Group 1.
The letter will confirm if you have qualified for an automatic WHD or advise you to call a helpline to check if you are eligible.

If you have not received a letter by mid-January 2026, but you think you should be eligible for WHD under Core Group 1, you will need to contact the WHD helpline when it opens later this year.

27 February 2026 is the deadline to contact the Warm Home Discount helpline if you are advised to get in touch in your letter.

C

costeek

Rank 2

Making sure I understood correctly, it’s for those who receive benefits and live in a certain type of building?

Nukecad

Author

Super User

No - That was the case last winter, 2024, when the size and age of the building you lived in could count.
(Many who had previously qualified for WHD every year did not qualify last year because of that building size/age rule).

For this year, winter 2025/2026, that property size/age rule has been scrapped.

To be eligible for the WHD for 2025/2026 then on the relevant date you just need to be receiving an Income Ielated benefit - any one of Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit or Universal Credit.

You also need to be named on your electricity bill as the bill payer* which is what the Government is asking that people check now.

Or to put it another way:
If the person named on the electricity bil* is getting one of those Income Related benefits, then they qualify for a £150 credit on their electricity bill this winer.

*There is one other very small qualification
If your electricity supplier is one of the smaller ones with less than 1000 customers then they don’t have to take part in the WHD scheme.

Again :-

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE 2025/2026 scheme HAS NOT GONE ‘LIVE’ YET.

All the government are asking that you do at this time is to ensure that if your household is receiving an IR benefit then the person who is receiving the benefit is named as the electricity bill payer.

I said, Hey - Watts going on.

Emmanuelle_OVO

Retired Moderator

Warm Home Discount

If you live in Scotland & are not in the core group, register your interest for the scheme 2025-2026

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount given to eligible domestic electricity customers to help with their energy costs.

If you live in England or Wales, you don't need to apply for the Warm Home Discount, if you are eligible, you will be contacted by the UK Government between October and January. Customers who live in Scotland, that don't qualify for the Core Group, can apply for the Warm Home Discount.

Click here to register your interest.

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.

Nukecad

Author

Super User

Thanks @Emmanuelle_OVO I have shared that registration form link on the MSE ‘Benefits’ forum.

I said, Hey - Watts going on.

Emmanuelle_OVO

Retired Moderator

Thanks @Emmanuelle_OVO I have shared that registration form link on the MSE ‘Benefits’ forum.

Brilliant thanks so much @Nukecad & thank you for your helpful post 🤗

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.

L

Leni

Newcomer

So if we are in England we dont need to apply for it through ovo? Do we have to wait for the letter and it be done automatically? I don't want to miss out like last year 😅

Chris_OVO

Community Manager

Hey @Leni,

We have been advised that, if you are eligible for the discount, the government should contact you between October and January. We will keep you updated with any new information on the Forum, so please watch for announcements as we stay informed over the winter.

Renewable energy jokes never get old.