Overview
- The DWP says around 2.7 million additional households qualify for the 2025/26 Warm Home Discount after eligibility rules were relaxed.
- Twenty‑eight suppliers, including British Gas, Octopus, EDF, OVO and Utilita, are applying the one‑off £150 to electricity accounts or issuing vouchers for prepayment meters.
- Suppliers will deliver credits between November 2025 and 31 March 2026, with most customers receiving the discount before January.
- Eligibility differs by nation: England and Wales include Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or low income, Scotland requires low income plus meeting supplier criteria, and the scheme is not available in Northern Ireland.
- DWP and the Department for Energy Security and Net‑Zero warn that calls or texts asking people to apply or share bank details are scams, and applications are only needed for some low‑income households in Scotland.