What Is The Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is a credit payment of £140 that is given to eligible customers to making heating their home more affordable over winter.
There are two different groups who are eligible for the Discount:
The Core Group – those who receive the guaranteed element of pension credit. This group receives the Discount automatically and does not need to apply.
The Broader Group – those on a low income who meet the qualifying criteria. This group needs to apply each year.
Customers in the Broader Group must apply directly to their energy supplier. Applications are normally open around September and close around the end of December. The payment is usually issued between January and March.
Eligibility
To qualify for the Warm Home Discount, you must be the account holder or partner of the account holder, and be able to meet one element from the following two sections.
You must receive one of these means tested benefits:
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseekers’ Allowance
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance (which includes a work related activity or support component)
- Universal Credit (low income elements)
plus one of the following elements:
- Child element for children aged 5 or under
- Disabled child element
- Have a gross annual household income of less than £16,190 and the account holder is living with mental or physical disability or illness, or there is vulnerability within the home (children living in the house aged 5 or under) or of pensionable age.
- Have a gross annual household income of less than £16,190 and spend 10% or more of household income on energy bills to heat property
(* please note that elgibility criteria is decided by each individual supplier and the above is a guide only.)
If your application is succesful you will receive a credit payment directly to your bill for the value of £140, minus 5% VAT.
Success one year does not guarantee success the next, and customers must apply every year.
Not Every Supplier Offers The Warm Home Discount
Please note that not every energy supplier offers the Warm Home Discount. If your current energy supplier does not offer the Warm Home Discount and you think that you are eligible then you should switch your supplier to one that does offer the scheme.
Applications are dealt with on on a ‘first come first served’ basis. When a supplier’s funds run out the applications are closed.
Below is a list of those suppliers that are part of the scheme in 2018/19.
- British Gas
- Bulb
- Co-op Energy
- Economy Energy
- EDF Energy
- E.ON
- Extra Energy
- First Utility
- Flow Energy
- Npower
- Scottish Power
- Southern Electric (SSE)
- OVO Energy
- Utility Warehouse
- Utilita
For help applying for the Warm Home Discount or switching your energy supplier please give BHESCo call on 0800 999 6671 to speak with one of our experienced and friendly energy advisers.
All our advice is free and totally impartial.
