2025/26 scheme is now closed
The application window for the 2025/26 Warm Home Discount closed on 31 March 2026. The next scheme is expected to open in autumn 2026 with the same £150 rebate. Bookmark this page — we update it as soon as Scottish Power confirms the new dates and qualifying day.
The scheme in 30 seconds
What is the Scottish Power Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is a government-backed scheme that gives eligible households a £150 one-off rebate on their winter electricity bill. Scottish Power must take part because it has more than 150,000 domestic customers — every Big Six supplier is in. The scheme has been running since 2011 and is aimed at tackling fuel poverty.
Importantly, you do not receive the £150 as cash. Scottish Power applies it as a credit to your electricity account or, for prepayment-meter households, mails you a voucher you can redeem at a PayPoint or Post Office. The rebate covers electricity only — gas-only Scottish Power customers cannot claim through the Broader Group route.
Amount
£150 one-off credit on the electricity bill
Window
October to 31 March each year
Who runs it
DWP confirms eligibility, Scottish Power pays
Eligibility
Who qualifies for the Scottish Power Warm Home Discount?
Since the 2022/23 reform, the scheme is split by nation. Scotland still has a Core Group plus a Broader Group where applicants apply directly to their supplier. England and Wales have a fully automatic system based on benefits data and property characteristics — there is no application form for most households.
Core Group 1 — Pension Credit (UK-wide)
You get the £150 automatically — no form, no phone call — if on the qualifying day (24 August 2025 for the 2025/26 scheme) you:
- Receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (Savings Credit alone is not enough)
- Are the named Scottish Power account holder (or your partner is)
- Have a domestic Scottish Power electricity account at the qualifying date
The DWP writes to you with a reference number starting with "M" (no action) or "U" (call 0800 731 0214 to confirm your supplier).
Core Group 2 — Low income + high-cost home
Since 2022 the broader scheme in England and Wales is also automatic. Scottish Power applies the £150 if the DWP confirms you :
- Receive a qualifying means-tested benefit (Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Pension Credit Savings Credit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit)
- Live in a property the government data flags as high-cost-to-heat (based on age, floor area and fuel type)
If the DWP cannot confirm your supplier you may need to call the WHD helpline ; otherwise the rebate appears on your bill between October and the end of March.
Scotland Broader Group — apply to Scottish Power
If you live in Scotland, are not in Core Group 1 and believe you meet the wider criteria, you must apply directly to Scottish Power when the scheme opens. Funding is capped, so apply as soon as the application form goes live (typically late August or early September).
You may qualify if you hold a Scottish Power electricity account in Scotland and one of the following applies :
- Receive Income Support, income-based JSA or income-related ESA
- Receive Universal Credit with earnings under the published threshold
- Are responsible for a child under 5, or a disabled child
- Receive Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit with a disability element
- Receive PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance or Incapacity Benefit
- Are aged 65 or over with low household income
How to apply
How to apply for the Scottish Power Warm Home Discount
Most households do not need to apply — Scottish Power and the DWP exchange data and apply the rebate automatically. The application route is reserved for the Scotland Broader Group.
Wait for the DWP letter
For Core Group 1 and Core Group 2, watch your post from October. The DWP confirms eligibility and tells Scottish Power to apply the credit. Your reference number tells you whether further action is needed.
Scotland: apply online
Scottish Power opens its Broader Group application form on its website each August/September. Have your account number, NI number, benefit details and a recent meter reading ready before you start — incomplete forms are rejected.
Receive the £150
Credit-meter customers see the £150 deducted from their electricity bill (line item "Warm Home Discount"). Prepayment customers receive a posted voucher to redeem at a PayPoint or Post Office.
Reference number starts with "U" ?
The DWP cannot match your Scottish Power account. Call the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 731 0214 (Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm) with your electricity account number and your MPAN number ready. This line is run by the DWP, not Scottish Power.
Payment
How and when the rebate is paid
All eligible Scottish Power customers receive the £150 between October 2025 and 31 March 2026. The format depends on how you pay for your electricity.
| Payment method | How the £150 is paid | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly direct debit | £150 credit on your Scottish Power account | Bill line "Other charges, Warm Home Discount" |
| Quarterly cash / cheque | £150 deducted from your next quarterly bill | Front page of your quarterly statement |
| Prepayment / Pay As You Go | £150 voucher posted to your billing address | Redeem at a PayPoint, Post Office or Payzone |
| Smart prepayment (SMETS2) | £150 sent direct to the meter as credit | Visible on the in-home display (IHD) |
If the credit or voucher has not arrived by 31 March, call Scottish Power on 0800 027 0072 (Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ; Sat 8:40 a.m. - 4 p.m.). After that date the funds may be returned to the scheme administrator.
Switching supplier
What happens if I switch supplier mid-scheme?
Core Group customers (Pension Credit Guarantee Credit): the £150 follows you. If you were a Scottish Power customer on the qualifying day but switch to another supplier before the rebate is applied, Scottish Power credits the £150 to your final balance. Any resulting credit is refunded after the account closes.
Scotland Broader Group applicants: you must still be a Scottish Power electricity customer when the rebate is paid. Switch before then and you forfeit it — you would need to apply to your new supplier separately, if they run a Broader Group scheme.
When switching still pays
Even if the £150 is on the line, a cheaper fixed tariff can save more across a winter than the rebate itself. Use our free comparison tool with your annual kWh in hand before deciding.Other support
Other energy support schemes worth checking
If you do not qualify for the Warm Home Discount, you may still be entitled to one of these national or supplier-specific schemes.
| Scheme | What you get |
|---|---|
| Scottish Power Hardship Fund | Grant of £100 to £3,000 to clear or reduce Scottish Power energy debt. Means-tested, application required. |
| Cold Weather Payment | £25 per qualifying 7-day cold spell (England & Wales) for pensioners and certain benefit claimants between 1 Nov and 31 Mar. Automatic. |
| Winter Fuel Payment | £100 to £300 annual heating allowance for State Pension recipients, now means-tested (Pension Credit required in England and Wales). |
| Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) | Free insulation, boiler upgrades and heating improvements for fuel-poor households. Runs until 31 March 2026, extended scheme ECO+ now active. |
| Pension Credit | Means-tested top-up for those over State Pension age — the gateway benefit that unlocks Core Group 1 of the Warm Home Discount and the Cold Weather Payment. |
| Smart Export Guarantee | Payment for surplus renewable electricity (solar PV, wind) exported to the grid. Scottish Power's SmartGen tariff is one of the available SEG rates. |
FAQ
Scottish Power Warm Home Discount: frequently asked questions
No. The rebate was raised from £140 to £150 in 2022 and has stayed at £150 for the 2025/26 scheme. The amount applies whether you receive it through the Core Group (automatic) or the Scotland Broader Group (application) route.
Eligible Scottish Power customers receive the £150 between October 2025 and 31 March 2026. Direct-debit and credit-meter customers see the discount applied to their electricity account ; prepayment customers receive a voucher by post to redeem at a PayPoint or Post Office.
If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit you fall in Core Group 1 and the payment is automatic. Anyone else in Scotland who qualifies (low-income households, families with young children, disabled residents) must apply directly through Scottish Power when the scheme opens. Funding is limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply as soon as the window opens.
For the Core Group, the discount follows you : if you were a Scottish Power customer on the qualifying date but switched away later, Scottish Power applies the £150 to your final balance, and any credit is refunded after closure. For the Scotland Broader Group, you must still hold a Scottish Power electricity account at the date of payment, so switching away mid-scheme will normally disqualify you.
You can apply to the Scottish Power Hardship Fund for help clearing energy arrears, claim the Cold Weather Payment if temperatures drop in your area, or check the ECO scheme for free insulation and heating upgrades. Comparing energy tariffs is also worth doing — switching can save more than the £150 rebate on its own.
Yes. If you are in the Core Group, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sends you a confirmation letter, typically by mid-December, containing a reference number starting with "M" (no further action needed) or "U" (you need to call the WHD helpline on 0800 731 0214 to confirm your supplier).
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