Eligible households can get £150 off their energy bills this winter via the Warm Home Discount scheme.
The scheme opens today for winter 2023/24 and will help more than three million vulnerable households.
The Warm Home Discount scheme is available to eligible households who have an account with one of 17 participating electricity suppliers.
To qualify, households in England and Wales need to either:
- claim the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit
- have high energy costs and claim a different ‘qualifying benefit’ such as the Savings Credit portion of Pension Credit, Universal Credit or Housing Benefit
Households in Scotland will qualify if they either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income and meet their energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme
How to get the Warm Home Discount
The money isn’t paid to bill-payers – it’s a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between today and 31 March 2024. You may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity.
Most eligible households will get the discount automatically. Those who qualify for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales will receive a letter from October onward explaining the discount and instructions on what they need to do next. Customers in Scotland will need to apply directly with their energy supplier as soon as possible.
If you do not get a letter and you think you’re eligible, contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme before 29 February 2024.
New Government campaign
The Warm Home Discount scheme opens on the same day the Government has launched a new energy campaign called It All Adds Up.
The Government has teamed up with Amazon Alexa to relaunch a public information campaign that it claims helped households save an estimated £120m last winter.
Anyone asking Alexa how to reduce their energy bill will now receive the latest advice on preparing their home for winter and using less energy in the long term. The Government says these tips could save the average household £100.
Phrases which will prompt Alexa include “Alexa, give me some energy saving tips”, “Alexa, give me tips to conserve energy” and “Alexa, give me tips to get ready for winter”.
Alongside Alexa, advice is available online via the Help for Households website and through a public information campaign including partnerships, billboards and radio adverts later in the autumn.
Claire Coutinho, secretary of state for energy security and net zero, said: “Energy prices are down 55% since their peak, but we know many families are still facing pressures. That is why we are continuing to provide financial support, including targeted help, such as the £150 Warm Home Discount, for those most in need.
“There are also some small, simple things families can do to keep their bills down – from reducing the boiler flow temperature to turning off radiators in rooms not being used, it all adds up.
“Our collaboration with Amazon’s Alexa will help to make these tips easier to access as we relaunch our energy saving tips campaign, which helped families across the UK save around £120 million last winter.”
Alexa’s top energy saving tips
The Government claims there are six “low-to-no cost actions” that collectively could save a typical household as much as £100 off their energy bill.
The six measures are:
- Reducing boiler flow temperature to 60 degrees, saving up to £60 per year
- Getting your boiler serviced to prevent costly and unexpected repairs
- Bleeding radiators to remove air pockets and improve their efficiency
- Turning down radiators in rooms not being used, saving up to £50 per year
- Washing clothes at 30 degrees, saving up to £20 per year
- Installing an energy efficient showerhead, saving up to £40 per year
