A single phone call to your energy supplier could put £150 towards this winter’s heating bills. But only if your name is on the account, and only if you act before Sunday 23rd August 2026.
Suppliers use customer records from that date to work out who qualifies for the government’s Warm Home Discount. The scheme knocks £150 off bills for households on means-tested benefits, including universal credit.
Prices are expected to rise this winter
Few people are thinking about heating bills in the middle of summer, however, energy prices are still set to climb again this winter, according to the government.
Ofgem will announce the quarterly price cap for October to December later this month, and millions of households will learn then what they face paying.
To soften that blow, energy companies distribute the Warm Home Discount to around six million households each winter.
Who qualifies for the discount
Households receiving housing benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit or universal credit qualify for the £150 payment. Eligible customers should get the discount automatically, provided their supplier has more than 1,000 customers.
That automatic payment depends on one thing: your name has to be on the bill. Suppliers also use that information to offer better support, such as repayment plans, to households already in energy debt.
Check your name is on the bill
Anyone who has recently moved house may find they are not named on their electricity account. Customers on pre-payment meters who top up using a key or card need to check their household’s account is registered in their name too. It is a small thing to overlook. And it could cost £150.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said,
“If you know someone who might benefit, please start spreading the word and encourage them to check they are named on their energy bill.”
