What is the Warm Home Discount?

What is the Core Group 2:

The Broader Group has been replaced in England and Wales with Core Group 2, which has a different eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria can be found on https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme.

To Qualify:

your energy supplier is part of the scheme
your name is on the bill or the account
you or your partner were in receipt of a qualifying means-tested benefit or tax credit, as listed below, on the qualifying date
you were living in a property identified as having high energy costs

Core Group 2 recipients are identified:

You must be a low-income household/in receipt of means-tested benefits and living in a property with high energy costs.

Core 2 qualifying means tested benefits:

Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Income based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income Support
Housing Benefit
Universal Credit
Child Tax Credits
Working Tax Credits
Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC)

High Energy Costs criteria:

Your property must have a high energy cost score, based on the characteristics of your property, which is above a threshold. This applies to the property you were living in, on the qualifying date, 11 August 2024.

The Government models the energy cost score of your property based on government-held data on the characteristics of your property. These property characteristics are: type, age, and floor area. The Government uses data from the Valuation Office Agency to model your property's energy cost score. Other sources and statistical methods are used for the very small proportion of households where this data is not available.

Key dates

11 August 2024: This is the qualifying date for a Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 rebate. You must meet the eligibility criteria on this date to be eligible for a rebate. If your benefits claim is backdated to this date or earlier, you may also become eligible for a rebate.
14 October 2024: The helpline (on 08000309322) will open for the 2024/25 scheme year and is for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 customers in England and Wales. If you are eligible, the energy supplier who supplied your electricity on the qualifying date 11 August 2024 will be responsible for providing the rebate. Between October and mid-January 2025 letters will be sent to qualifying customers for Core Group 1 and Core Group 2. The letter will confirm that they are eligible for an automatic rebate or advise you to call a helpline to check if you are eligible. The deadline for contacting the helpline is 28 February 2025. If you are advised to call the helpline, it is important that you do so by the deadline, otherwise you will not be eligible for a rebate.
Mid January 2025: If you have not received a letter by mid-January 2025, but you think you should be eligible for a rebate under Core Group 1 or Core Group 2, please check gov.uk for more information on eligibility and contacting the helpline.
31 March 2025: The supplier will apply the rebate no later than 31 March 2025. The rebate is paid on the electricity bill. If you receive both electricity and gas from one supplier (known as a 'dual fuel' account), you may be able to request your supplier to provide the rebate on your gas bill. Please contact your energy supplier as the Government helpline cannot help with payment issues.

How do I know if I qualify?

Households that qualify for the Warm Home Discount will be sent a letter from HM Government. Letters are due to be sent to qualifying customers between October and mid-January 2025, confirming that they are eligible for the rebate and any next steps.

Your letter will say if you will receive a rebate automatically or if you need to call a helpline by 28 February 2025 to confirm your details.

Please note that there is no longer a 'Broader Group' in England and Wales. You no longer need to apply for the Warm Home Discount through your energy supplier.

If you are eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March 2025.

I have received a letter advising me to contact the helpline. When should I call up?

While most eligible households will receive their rebate automatically, you may receive a letter between October and mid-January 2025 advising you to contact the helpline to determine if you are eligible for a rebate.

How can I check if I am eligible?

If you have not received a letter by mid-January 2025 but you think you should be eligible, please check https://www.gov.uk/check-if-youre-eligible-for-warm-home-discount, which is an online tool for checking your eligibility and information on how to contact the helpline.

If the information you provide suggests you may be eligible for the Warm Home Discount, you must still contact the WHD Helpline to verify your eligibility.

What information will I need when I call the helpline?

If you are advised to call the helpline, your letter will explain what you will need to do and the information you will need to hand.

You will need:

Your letter, which will have your reference number
Your electricity bill or statement, as you will need to read out the bill payer's name and account number

I live with my partner who is named on the energy bill, but I am eligible under the criteria. Will we receive the discount?

Under Core Group 1 or Core Group 2, either you or your partner can be in receipt of the relevant benefit or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, so long as one of you is listed on the electricity bill or account of a participating supplier. Your partner must be registered on your record on DWP's benefit system or you will not be eligible for a rebate.

If I have not received a letter and I believe I am eligible, what should I do?

We recommend calling the Warm Home Discount helpline. You can contact them on 0800 030 9322.

I am eligible and I've switched to a new supplier; will I still receive the payment?

The rebate will be paid by the energy company who supplied your electricity on 11 August 2024. If you have switched your electricity supply since then, you can contact your old supplier to confirm how they will issue your discount.

I am eligible and I've moved house, how will I receive the payment?

The rebate will be paid by the energy company who supplied your electricity on the 11 August 2024. If you move house after 11 August 2024, you can contact your old electricity supplier to confirm your new address and arrange payment.

I am eligible for a rebate, but my supplier has failed. Will I receive a rebate?

When an energy company exits the market, its customers will usually be transferred to a new supplier as part of Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort process. We would expect your new supplier to provide you with the rebate. For further information, you should check with your new energy supplier.

When will I get my payment?

If you are confirmed as eligible for a rebate, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your account by 31 March 2025. For any payment issues, please contact your supplier.

Can my payment be applied to my gas account?

If we supply you for both electricity and gas as a dual fuel account, the WHD credit will be added to your credit energy account.

If you have a gas account with a different energy supplier to your electricity, we will apply the payment to your electricity account.

I'm on a prepayment meter, how will I be paid?

This may be applied as a credit directly to your meter if you are on Smart Pay As You Go or through energy vouchers to top up your traditional prepay meter.

Vouchers will be sent by letter if this is your preferred method of contact. Or if you have a registered email on your energy account, your vouchers will be emailed directly from Paypoint from noreply@paypoint.com