Overview

• DESNZ issued a nationwide warning after reports that fraudsters used Warm Home Discount messages to take money from claimants’ bank accounts.
• DWP will post letters to eligible households from mid‑October through December to confirm the £150 bill credit.
• Energy suppliers will apply the discount directly to electricity accounts, with no application process and no direct payments to individuals.
• Eligibility has been expanded by about 2.7 million households, lifting the total expected recipients to more than six million this winter.
• Context on risk: UK scams were estimated to cost £11.4 billion in 2024, highlighting the need for vigilance among benefit recipients.