The biggest change is that you no longer need to apply for the discount on a first come, first served basis. The Government has now set eligibility criteria and if your household meets the criteria, the discount will be applied automatically through your energy provider.
Am I eligible?
If you receive Guaranteed Pension Credit, the eligibility rules have not changed, and you should receive the payment automatically from your energy supplier between November and March 2023.
If you do not receive Guaranteed Pension Credit, to qualify you’ll need to be receiving a qualifying benefit and have ‘high energy bills’ (although the Government has yet to define what that means exactly). They have however, confirmed the qualifying benefits which are: Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Savings Pension Credit and Universal Credit.
Although you won’t need to apply for the discount as in previous years, the way the discount is paid will remain the same. Your energy company should apply a £150 credit to your energy account between November 2022 and March 2023. If you have a prepayment meter you will likely receive vouchers.
In previous years, the payment has been £140, however the Government is increasing it this year to £150. To learn more about the Warm Homes Discount scheme, please visit the Government’s website. Martin Lewis has also produced some great information on how to determine if you qualify. You can also find out more about saving on your energy bills by visiting our customer website.
Be on alert for fake texts claiming to be from the Government inviting you to apply for the Warm Home Discount. It's a scam – the £150 will be paid automatically, so you don’t need to apply. If you think you have been scammed, here’s what to do.
The increases for food, fuel, energy and general costs are having a massive impact on us all. With so much information being shared, keeping on top of it all can be an additional challenge. We’ve pulled together the most relevant and well sourced information and put it all in our brand new ‘Cost of Living hub’ Be sure to bookmark it and come back to it regularly for all the latest updates!
