Thousands of UK households have only two weeks left<\/strong> to claim a \u00a3150 discount<\/strong> on their energy bills through the government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme<\/strong>. The deadline to respond to required notifications or apply for the scheme is 28 February 2025<\/strong>, after which eligible individuals may miss out on this financial support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scheme primarily supports low-income households<\/a><\/strong> and pensioners<\/strong>. Eligibility is assessed based on government criteria, which include receiving at least one of the following benefits before 11 August 2024<\/strong> :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, the government evaluates eligibility based on the type, age, and energy efficiency of a property<\/strong>. This means that some UK households in energy-efficient homes may not qualify<\/strong> for the scheme, even if they receive qualifying benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, this exclusion does not apply to pensioners<\/strong> who receive the guarantee credit portion of Pension Credit<\/strong>. If pensioners were not claiming Pension Credit<\/strong> before the 11 August 2024<\/strong> deadline, they may still qualify if they backdate their application<\/strong> for up to three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eligible households should have received a letter between October and December 2024<\/strong>. These letters indicate whether the discount will be applied automatically or if additional information is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To confirm eligibility or request the discount<\/strong>, individuals can :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Households in Scotland<\/a><\/strong> must apply directly through their energy supplier<\/strong>, while Northern Ireland<\/strong> residents are not covered<\/strong> by the scheme but may be eligible for separate gas bill support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way the Warm Home Discount<\/a><\/strong> is applied depends on the type of electricity meter a household has :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vouchers for prepayment meters are issued by the Post Office<\/strong> on behalf of British Gas, E.ON Next, Ovo Energy, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, and Good Energy<\/strong>. The expiry date of these vouchers varies between 30 and 90 days<\/strong> from the date of issue. If a voucher is lost or expired, UK households should contact their supplier for a replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For those struggling with energy costs<\/a>, there are additional forms of support available:<\/p>\n\n\n\n