The Warm Home Discount scheme is a Government led programme offering support to households who are in, or at risk of, fuel poverty.
The Government and Ofgem make the decisions on how much you’ll get and who qualifies. It is energy suppliers, like UW, that fund the scheme.
The payment for this year is £150.
England & Wales
If you live in England or Wales and you’re eligible for the payment, you don’t need to make an application.
If you or your partner are in receipt of the Guaranteed part of Pension Credit (Core Group 1) or if you or your partner are on a low income with a property that costs a lot to heat (Core Group 2), then you may be eligible. If you are, the Government will write to you between October and December advising that you qualify for the credit. The letter will also advise what you need to do next to receive the discount.
If you haven’t received a letter by early January then please call the Warm Home Discount Helpline on 0800 030 9322 to see if you’re eligible.
You can also find out more information and an eligibility checker on the government’s Warm Home Discount website: www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme
Scotland
If you live in Scotland, the Warm Home Discount works differently to England and Wales. For Scotland, there is a Core Group and a Broader Group. Under the Core Group, if you or your partner are in receipt of the Guaranteed part of the Pension Credit, the Government will write to you between October and December advising if you qualify for the credit. The letter will also advise what you need to do next to receive the discount. For the Broader Group, if you are on a low income and in receipt of certain eligible benefits then you can make an application. Applications for the scheme can be made here.
The Government works out which customers should receive the Warm Home Discount payment, and they advise suppliers to make the payment to them.
They will write to you between October and December to let you know if you will be receiving the credit.
Some customers will be advised that they will receive the payment automatically; some customers will be advised that they are eligible for the credit but need to contact the Warm Home Discount Helpline to claim the payment. Your letter will advise if you need to take any action. Please read it carefully.
You’ll need to have been receiving qualifying benefits on the qualification date of 11th August 2024 in order to be eligible for the scheme.
Whichever supplier you were with on the 11th August 2024 is the one that will make the payment to you. If the government have confirmed that you are due to receive the credit and you weren’t with UW on the 11th August 2024, then please contact the supplier that you were with on that date.
The government make the final decision on whether you are eligible or not. You are able to appeal their decision by speaking to the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. This isn’t something that we’re able to do on your behalf.
A full explanation of the qualification process, qualification criteria and an eligibility checker are available on the Government website: www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme
Payments are made between October and the end of March.
If you are on a low income and in receipt of certain benefits then you may qualify for the Broader Group.
Applications for the scheme can be made here.
Please note that we may ask you to provide documentary proof of the benefits that you are receiving. Please don’t provide this unless we ask for it.
Payments under the Broader Group are made by the end of March.
The payments will be made between October and the end of March
If you have a prepayment meter and received your credit via a PayPoint voucher, you can redeem your vouchers at any PayPoint outlet. To find your nearest location please visit the PayPoint website.
If you’re having problems redeeming your voucher then please contact us on 0333 777 0777.
The Government is sending letters to eligible customers from October until December. If you haven’t received a letter by the start of January, please contact the Government's Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. You can also visit their website by clicking here.
The Government's helpline is open from mid-October Until the last working day of March. The last day to claim the credit is the last working day of February.
If you are in Core Group 1, Core Group 2 or Core Group in Scotland, and changed supplier after 11th August 2024, the supplier you were with on that date is the supplier that will pay the credit to you.
Not all suppliers are part of the scheme. A full list of suppliers that are part of the scheme is available on the Government website.
If you live in the borders between England and Scotland, you may be unsure which scheme you fall under: the Scottish scheme, or the England and Wales scheme.
The Government uses the Scottish Postcode Directory to work out Scottish postcodes. Please click on this link to see which country your address falls under: Scottish Postcode Directory
Click here to submit a reading. You can find a guide to taking readings here (or if you have a smart meter, here).
