Warm Home Discount Regulations amended by S.I. 2025/1031

The Warm Home Discount (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1031) amended the Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 with effect from 18 September 2025¹. The amendment substituted words in regulation 4(3)(a) and inserted a new regulation 4(3)(ba)¹.

Regulation 4(3) of the 2022 Regulations lists the duties and powers that continue to apply after the end of the scheme period¹. As amended, the provision now covers the duties of scheme suppliers under regulations 10, 12(5) to (8) and 28(3), the duties of the Secretary of State under regulation 13, the powers of the Secretary of State under regulation 11, the duties of the Authority under regulation 27, and the powers of the Authority under regulation 28(1) and 28(2)¹.

The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales is set out in the 2022 Regulations, which continue the scheme for reducing fuel poverty established by the 2011 Regulations¹. The scheme period runs from the commencement day to 31st March 2026¹. The prescribed rebate under the 2022 Regulations is £150, other than in regulation 18¹. Scheme years run to 31st March 2023 for scheme year 12, and then as 12 month periods beginning 1st April in 2023, 2024 and 2025, giving scheme years 13 to 15¹.

The 2022 Regulations were made on 6th July 2022 and came into force on 7th July 2022¹. They were made under sections 9, 10, 14 and 31(5) and (6) of the Energy Act 2010, with the consent of the Treasury¹. Regulation 1 and regulation 31 extend to England and Wales and Scotland; otherwise the Regulations extend to England and Wales only¹.

The 2022 Regulations set out how the rebate reaches core group customers. A supplier must provide the prescribed rebate to the core group customers specified in a rebate notice by 31st March in the scheme year, or before the end of the period of 30 days beginning with the day it receives the notice¹. Core group eligibility turns on receipt of guarantee credit, or on meeting the criteria in the relevant eligibility statement, for the customer or their partner where both occupy the qualifying premises as their sole or main residence¹.

Why it matters for households

The amendment changes which obligations and powers survive the end of the scheme period on 31st March 2026¹. It does not alter the £150 prescribed rebate or the scheme period itself¹. Households in England and Wales within the core group, meaning those receiving guarantee credit or meeting the criteria in the relevant eligibility statement, remain within the scope of the rebate arrangements set out in the 2022 Regulations¹. The scheme continues to operate in England and Wales only, apart from regulation 1 and regulation 31, which also extend to Scotland¹.

What happens next

The scheme period ends on 31st March 2026¹. Under the 2022 Regulations, rebate notices for scheme years 13, 14 and 15 must be given by 14th February preceding the start of the scheme year, and for any other scheme year by 14th March preceding the start of the scheme year¹. Notification under regulation 8(2)(b) and, as the case may be, (c) must be given by 31st October in the scheme year to which it relates¹. The 2022 Regulations provide that in scheme year 15 the rebate is provided after 31st March 2026¹. Further detail on the amended provisions has not been reported beyond the text of the amendment itself¹.