Warm Home Discount Scheme 2021/22: Apply Now
The Warm Home Discount could save you £140 on your energy bills during the cold winter months. Read on to learn more about who is eligible for this discount and how to apply.
As a result of the rise in the Price Cap announced in February, the Warm Home Discount for 2022/23 will be increased to £150. The eligibility criteria will be extended by almost a third and will benefit up to three million vulnerable households.
What is The Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme designed to help tackle fuel poverty and provide people with the financial assistance they may need throughout the winter months to pay their energy bills. The initiative was first introduced in 2011 and is run in cooperation with a number of different energy providers .
This one-off payment of £140 is just one of a number of schemes that can offer help during the colder months, such as the Cold Weather Payment and Winter Fuel Payment. It is credited to your electricity bill by your supplier, or you will receive a voucher to redeem if you're a pay-as-you-go customer.
Whilst the Warm Home Discount scheme provides you a credit for your electricity, you may be able to split the credit between electricity and gas. You can ask your supplier if they are able to do this.
When Does The Warm Home Discount Scheme 2021/22 Open?
The Warm Home Discount for winter 2021 and 2022 opened on Monday 18 October 2021.
Whilst most suppliers will keep the Warm Home Discount applications open until the end of 2021, some suppliers such as Utilita have already closed for new applications.
Do I Qualify For Warm Home Discount?
Those eligible for the Warm Home Discount fall into one of two groups:
- Core Group: Primarily those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, who receive the Warm Home Discount automatically, as long as this also applied to them on 4 July 2021.
- Broader Group: Other energy consumers who can apply for the Warm Home Discount through their energy supplier, such as those on low income or means-tested benefits. Each supplier has their own set of qualifying criteria and a limited number of discounts they will pay out.
Broader group customers must submit their application on a yearly basis. Of course, you will have to check that your energy provider participates in the scheme, as many smaller suppliers do not at present.
Which Suppliers Offer The Warm Home Discount?
Medium and larger energy suppliers with over 150,000 customers have a legal obligation to participate in the Warm Home Discount scheme, though some smaller providers have also voluntarily joined the scheme. Check with your electricity supplier for specific advice regarding your situation.
You may also be able to receive the discount on your gas costs if you are a dual fuel customer. Below is a list of the companies that are currently part of the scheme. Clicking any provider on the list will bring up its contact information.
- Affect Energy - contact Octopus Energy
- Atlantic - contact SSE
- Boost
- British Gas
- British Gas Evolve - contact British Gas
- Bulb
- Co-op Energy - contact Octopus Energy
- E Gas and Electricity
- Ecotricity (core group customers only)
- EDF Energy
- E.ON
- Green Energy UK (core group customers only)
- London Power - contact Octopus Energy
- M&S Energy
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox the Market
- OVO Energy
- Sainsbury’s Energy
- Scottish Hydro - contact SSE
- Scottish Power
- Shell Energy
- So Energy
- Southern Electric - contact SSE
- Spark
- SSE
- Swalec - contact Ovo
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
The following suppliers were part of the scheme but are no longer trading:
If you are eligible and your supplier has gone bust, your new supplier will let you know if the Warm Home Discount is available once you transfer over. You are free to switch to a different supplier if your new supplier does not offer the Warm Home Discount.
How Much is Warm Home Discount?
For those who qualify, the Warm Home Discount will be £140 for 2021/2022. This discount scheme is both for households with standard credit meters and with pay-as-you-go or prepayment meters, and will be applied directly to your account by the end of March 2022.
If you have a prepayment meter, your supplier will be able to inform you of your eligibility. The only difference is that your discount will most likely come in voucher form to top up your account.
Since the Warm Home discount is not available year round, you might very well find you get a better discount in the long run if you switch to a cheaper energy tariff. It pays to shop around - the Warm Home Discount is not necessarily the be all and end all for energy savings.
Apply For Warm Home Discount
The application process for the Warm Home Discount depends on which group you qualify for. Read on to find out how to apply for the Warm Home Discount if you are part of the core group or the broader group.
Core group
If your energy supplier is participating in the Warm Home Discount scheme and you are a member of the core group, you should automatically receive a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) between October and December 2021 informing you how to get the discount.
In most cases you will receive the Warm Home Discount automatically, without any further action needed on your part. However, if you haven’t received yours and you believe that you’re eligible, you should check the following information on your initial letter to see if there has been an error:
If Your Reference Number Starts With ‘M’
You don’t need to do anything. Your discount will automatically be transferred onto your account or your voucher will be sent out.
If Your Reference Number Starts With ‘U’
In this scenario, the reason why you haven’t received anything as of yet is that the DWP don’t yet have any information as to who your energy supplier is. As such, you will need to call a helpline by 28 February 2022 to confirm your information and have your application processed.
The letter should arrive by December at the latest. The application period for 2021/22 will open on 18 October 2021.
Broader Group
If you are part of the broader group, your supplier should have an online application form on their website. If you’d prefer a paper application form you can contact your supplier directly. The criteria may vary from one supplier to another.
Applications through an energy supplier usually open in October, but as the number of places on the Warm Home Discount scheme is limited, it is best to contact your provider sooner, rather than later, to find out any application opening dates and deadlines.
Please note that if you are living in a mobile or park home, there is a separate application process.
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Will I Still Receive Warm Home Discount if I Switch Energy Suppliers?
At present, only energy suppliers with over 150,000 customers, such as the ‘big six’, are required to participate in the scheme. However, smaller suppliers may also choose to offer the warm home discount to their customers voluntarily, so it is a good idea to check this when moving home or switching energy providers.
Core Group
For those in the core group switching from a participating energy supplier to another, the discount should continue to be applied automatically. Should you switch supplier after the qualifying date, your previous supplier is still responsible for paying the Warm Home Discount.
If you are switching to a participating supplier from one that is not involved in the scheme, you must apply in the same way as someone from the broader group.
Broader Group
For those in the broader group, applications have to be resubmitted when switching suppliers, even if they are both involved in the Warm Home Discount scheme. As each supplier’s qualifying criteria for the broader group varies, your Warm Home Discount eligibility may change. Therefore, it is always worth checking these prior to switching.
Warm Home Discount contact
If you don’t receive the Warm Home Discount automatically and believe that you should, you can contact the Warm Home Discount team by either telephone or post.
Warm Home Discount Helpline
If you are in the core group and believe that you meet the criteria, but still haven’t received the payment, you should get in touch with the Warm Home Discount Helpline on their freephone number, Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm.
| Telephone | 0800 731 0214 |
|---|
Contact Warm Home Discount Team by post
If you prefer to get in touch by post, you can write to:
Warm Home Discount
Blue Zone, Ground Floor Phase 1
Peel Park
Brunel Way
Blackpool
FY4 5ES
What Other Schemes Can I Apply For?
Whether you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount or not, you may also be able to apply for other schemes.| Scheme | How The Scheme Works |
|---|---|
| Cold Weather Payment |
The Cold Weather Payment is a winter fuel allowance granted by the government to those who meet the qualifying criteria. If you’re eligible, you could be due a payment of £25 every time the average temperature in your area hits zero degrees celsius or below, for seven or more consecutive days between 1st November and 31st March. |
| Energy Company Obligation ECO3 |
Since 2013, the Energy Company Obligation aims to reduce carbon emissions and help households lower their heating costs.The scheme obligates larger energy suppliers to deliver measures to help make homes more energy efficient. The latest scheme known as ECO3 was introduced in 2018 and will run until March 2022 and is focussed on vulnerable customers who are living in fuel poverty. |
| Pension Credit |
Pension Credit is a tax-free, means-tested benefit for those over the UK state pension age. It can also help with heating bills, and you will also receive the Cold Weather Payment automatically, with no need to apply. |
| Winter Fuel Payment |
The Winter Fuel Payment was introduced in 1997 and is an annual tax-free heating allowance of between £100 and £300 made to those over pensionable age who may require assistance with their heating costs during the winter. The winter fuel allowance is not means-tested, which means you can still qualify if you’re working or claiming benefits. |
| Smart Export Guarantee |
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) pays homeowners and businesses for renewable electricity they generate but don’t use and replaced the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme in January 2020. Unlike the Feed-in-Tariff, Smart Export Guarantee doesn’t have a fixed rate which means you may be able to earn more by switching to a different SEG supplier. |