Overview

• The Warm Home Discount will credit around six million households with a one-off £150 reduction on their winter energy bills, extending eligibility to all means-tested benefit recipients.
• Pension Credit claimants will get the discount automatically while other eligible benefit recipients must apply to their energy suppliers between October and March.
• The Winter Fuel Payment returns for nine million pensioners, with applications opening on September 15 and payments set at £200 for those under 80 and £300 for those aged 80 or over.
• Both schemes impose a £35,000 taxable income cap and instruct HM Revenue & Customs to recover payments from higher earners via PAYE or self-assessment tax codes.
• This package builds on existing aid such as Cold Weather Payments, the Household Support Fund and Scotland’s Child Winter Heating Assistance, and includes government alerts about related scams.