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Warm Home Discount eligibility 2026
Winter 2026 · £150 rebate

Warm Home Discount Eligibility 2026

Warm Home Discount eligibility for 2026 covers two groups who get the £150 energy-bill rebate. This guide explains who qualifies, how the Core and Broader groups work after the 2025 reforms, and how to make sure you get it. Check your Warm Home Discount eligibility below.

Verified · 2026Based on the government Warm Home Discount scheme.
Official sourcesGOV.UK — Warm Home DiscountGOV.UK — Pension CreditCitizens Advice — help with bills

Core Group — automatic

You get the £150 automatically if you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. You’ll get a letter; there’s nothing to apply for.

Broader Group — low-income benefits

Households on means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit Savings Credit, income-based JSA/ESA, Income Support or Housing Benefit. Since 2025 the high-cost energy test was removed in England & Wales, so far more qualify automatically.

How to make sure you get it

  • ✓Most people get it automatically — watch for a confirmation letter from October onwards.
  • ✓Make sure your energy supplier has your correct, up-to-date benefit details.
  • ✓On a prepayment meter? You'll get a voucher or top-up rather than a bill credit.
  • ✓Not had a letter by early winter but think you qualify? Contact your supplier before the deadline.
  • ✓Also check Cold Weather Payments and, if eligible, Winter Fuel Payment — they're separate schemes.

Warm Home Discount eligibility: common questions

For 2026 the £150 rebate goes to two groups: the Core Group — people receiving the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit — and the Broader Group — households on certain means-tested benefits with higher energy costs. The 2025 reforms removed the high-cost 'energy score' test in England and Wales, so more low-income households now qualify automatically.

It's a one-off £150 rebate applied directly to your electricity bill (or added to a prepayment meter) between roughly October and March. You don't receive cash — it comes off what you owe your supplier.

Most eligible households get it automatically — your supplier and the government match your details, and you'll get a letter confirming it. If you think you qualify but haven't heard by early winter, contact your energy supplier; some Broader Group cases still need you to confirm details.

Yes. Prepayment customers get the £150 as a voucher or a top-up added to their meter rather than a bill credit. Your supplier will explain how to redeem it.

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