Warm Home Discount scheme: Martin Lewis urges Brits to act fast or lose £150 energy bill discount this winter
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Millions more households qualify for energy bill help this year, but time is running out ⏳
- Martin Lewis has warned millions to check eligibility for the £150 Warm Home Discount
- To qualify, your name must be on your electricity bill by August 24, 2025
- Scheme helps households on certain benefits cut winter energy costs in England, Scotland and Wales
- Payments are automatic for most in England/Wales, but many in Scotland must apply
- Park home residents can also apply from August 27, but funding is limited
Millions of households could get £150 knocked off their energy bills this winter – but only if they act fast.
Consumer champion Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert team has issued a warning to check now whether you’re set to receive the Warm Home Discount, a government scheme designed to help with rising energy costs.
The most common reason people miss out on the Warm Home Discount is because their name isn’t on their electricity bill by the qualifying date. Even if you’re eligible for the right benefit, you’ll get nothing if the account is in someone else’s name.
While 2.7 million more people qualify this year, many could miss out simply because their name isn’t on their energy bill by the qualifying date.
With energy costs still high and winter approaching, £150 can make a real difference, and the deadline to get the correct name on your electricity bill is fast approaching - Sunday, August 24, 2025.
If you’ve moved recent, you could still get the discount – but you must ensure your name is on your new electricity account by August 24. Don’t assume this happens automatically; contact your supplier to confirm.
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is a yearly £150 payment towards energy costs for eligible households in England, Scotland and Wales.
It’s normally applied directly to your electricity account between October 2025 and March 2026, but if your supplier provides both electricity and gas, you may be able to have it applied to your gas bill instead. You’ll need to ask your supplier about this.
If you live in England or Wales and receive a qualifying means-tested benefit, you should get the payment automatically – as long as your supplier is part of the scheme and you’re named on your electricity account by 24 August 2025.
Qualifying benefits include:
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
You can check eligibility via the government’s Warm Home Discount online tool.
But first, confirm your energy supplier offers the Warm Home Discount. Most large suppliers do, but if yours doesn’t, you won’t get it even if you qualify.
In Scotland, the scheme is different.
Payment is usually automatic for Pension Credit (guarantee element) recipients, if you’re named on your bill by 24 August 2025.
Others on certain benefits may qualify under the ‘broader group’, but you must apply directly to your supplier. Funding is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis – so apply as soon as possible in October.
If you live in a park home and don’t have a direct electricity account, you can still get the £150 if you meet the income or benefit criteria.
Applications open August 27, 2025 via the Charis Grants website. Funding is limited, so apply early each year.
Visit GOV.UK’s Warm Home Discount pages or your energy supplier’s website for full eligibility details.
How the £150 is paid
If you are on a standard credit or smart prepayment meter, the £150 will be added as credit to your electricity account automatically.
Those on more ‘traditional’ prepayment meters will be sent a top-up voucher by post, email or text, which you can redeem at the Post Office or a PayPoint shop. You’ll need ID such as a passport or driving licence.
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