Thousands of letters being sent DWP on £150 Warm Home Discount - what to look for

People will get the money taken off their bills if they are with one of 25 suppliers signed up to the scheme - but they night need to call a helpline

09:44, Fri, Sep 6, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:44, Fri, Sep 6, 2024

If people are with the power suppliers signed up to the scheme they can get £150 off bills this winter

If people are with the power suppliers signed up to the scheme they can get £150 off bills this winter (Image: Getty)

Thousands of UK residents will receive letters next month informing them if they are eligible for the Warm Home Discount this winter. The scheme offers a one-off £150 discount on electricity bills.

By 2024/25, no one should need to apply for the Warm Home Discount. Between October 2024 and early January 2025, eligible individuals will receive a letter either confirming their automatic discount or requesting further information.

If more information is needed the letter will instruct recipients to confirm their details by calling the helpline before 28 February 2024.

If you live in England and Wales you qualify if you either get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or are on a low income and have high energy costs.

Even without the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, people may still qualify for the Warm Home Discount. Eligibility criteria as of August 2024 include: your energy supplier participating in the scheme; you (or your partner) receiving certain means-tested benefits or tax credits; your property having a high energy cost score based on its characteristics; and your name (or your partner's) appearing on the electricity bill.

The scheme also extends to those claiming benefits like Universal Credit who also have high energy costs. Age UK said: "Most eligible households will receive the Warm Home Discount automatically.

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"If you're eligible, you'll receive a letter between November and January telling you about the discount. Then, your electricity supplier will automatically apply the discount to your bill by the end of March.This is different from previous years when you had to claim the money from your supplier if you weren't claiming the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit.

"If you haven't received a letter by mid-January and you think you're eligible, then you can contact the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. The deadline for this winter will be announced later in the year.".

Eligible individuals will receive a letter between November and January informing them about the discount. Unlike previous years, where you had to claim the money from your supplier if you weren't claiming the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit, your electricity supplier will automatically apply the discount to your bill by the end of March.

If you haven't received a letter by mid-January and believe you're eligible, you can contact the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322. The deadline for this winter will be announced later in the year.