Warm Home Discount scheme to reopen in Autumn 2026

The Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme will reopen in Autumn 2026, when rebate payments for the relevant scheme year will start to be issued, according to Ofgem, which administers the scheme¹. The scheme runs in England, Scotland and Wales¹. Turn2us lists the scheme as opening for applications in England, Scotland and Wales in October 2026², and its separate guidance states the scheme "will open for applications in October 2026"⁴. Scope states that applications reopen in October 2026⁵, and One Parent Families Scotland advises checking whether applications are open in October 2026⁶.

Participating suppliers are obligated to provide a direct discount of £150 for those eligible, paid into their electricity account, or their gas account on request¹. Households are eligible if the person named on the energy bill, or their partner, receives a qualifying benefit on the qualifying date for that scheme year¹. For England and Wales, Ofgem lists the qualifying benefits as income related Employment and Support Allowance, income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit)¹. Ofgem says the qualifying benefits for England and Wales will be confirmed in the eligibility statement issued by DESNZ for any given scheme year¹.

Eligibility differs in Scotland. Ofgem says the core group criteria there apply to those receiving Pension Credit (both the Guaranteed Element and Savings Credit), Universal Credit, Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Related Employment Support Allowance, and Support for Mortgage Interest¹. The core group eligibility criteria in Scotland are aligned with the qualifying benefits used for the Scottish Winter Heating Payment as of December 2025¹. The qualifying benefits for Scotland are set out in regulations and determined by Scottish Government Ministers within the spending limit¹.

Scotland also has a Broader Group, which assists certain low-income households with an annual direct rebate of £150 to their electricity account, or gas account on request¹. Broader Group rebates are application based, with eligibility criteria set by individual energy suppliers and approved by Ofgem¹. Ofgem says criteria that are mandatory for suppliers to include apply to those in Scotland who receive Pension Age Disability Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Universal Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit¹.

Why it matters for households

The discount is £150 off an electricity account, or a gas account if requested, for households receiving a qualifying benefit on the qualifying date¹. Ofgem says most eligible Core Group customers are given a one-off annual discount on their electricity bill between October and March, and that in most cases suppliers must provide the Core Group and Broader Group discounts by 31 March of each scheme year¹. Customers on direct debit are credited £150 to their electricity account, or to their gas account if requested; customers who prepay are credited against future energy use¹. Some customers, including prepayment meter customers or Core Group customers who have since switched supplier, may receive the discount by voucher or cheque, usually redeemable at a Post Office or PayPoint shop, though Ofgem says this may vary by supplier¹.

Ofgem says eligible Core Group households should receive a letter from the Government between November and December, and that most eligible households will receive the discount automatically¹. The helpline opens from mid-November until the end of February each scheme year¹. The qualifying date for the 2026 to 2027 scheme year will be set out in the eligibility statement issued by DESNZ¹. Ofgem says that if a household was with a participating supplier on the qualifying date and was eligible under the Core Group, that supplier will be instructed to pay; if they were not with a participating supplier on the qualifying date and switched to one afterwards, they will not receive the discount for that scheme year¹.

The scheme sits alongside other winter support. Turn2us lists eligible pensioners across the UK beginning to receive their Winter Fuel Payment or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in November 2026, the Cold Weather Payment 2026 scheme opening in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the Winter Heating Payment and Child Winter Heating Payment being paid to eligible households in Scotland². One Parent Families Scotland says the discount will not affect other payments or benefits such as the Winter Heating Payment or Winter Fuel Payment⁶. Turn2us states that pensioners who get Pension Credit can get £150 off their winter fuel bill through the scheme, applied to the bill by their electricity supplier⁷.

What happens next

Turn2us dates the opening of the Warm Home Discount scheme for applications in England, Scotland and Wales to October 2026². Ofgem says the scheme will reopen in Autumn 2026, when rebate payments for the relevant scheme year will start to be issued¹. The qualifying date for the 2026 to 2027 scheme year has not been set out; Ofgem says it will be set out in the eligibility statement issued by DESNZ¹. Ofgem says most Core Group and Broader Group discounts must be provided by 31 March of each scheme year¹. The full list of qualifying benefits for England and Wales for the coming scheme year has not been reported; Ofgem says it will be confirmed in the DESNZ eligibility statement¹.

More detail on the scheme and other support is in our guide to the Warm Home Discount and other help with energy bills, and on the Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age, Child and Winter Heating Payments in Scotland.