{"id":117098,"date":"2026-01-30T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=117098"},"modified":"2026-01-30T08:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T08:19:21","slug":"150-energy-bill-discount-extended-millions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/150-energy-bill-discount-extended-millions\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a3150 Energy Bill Discount Extended for Millions of UK Households Until 2030"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The UK Government confirms the Warm Home Discount will continue until 2030\/31, securing annual \u00a3150 energy bill rebates for six million low-income households. The scheme\u2019s automatic eligibility has been expanded across Great Britain, easing pressure during peak winter months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Millions of households across the UK will continue to receive annual help with energy bills through the Warm Home Discount,<\/strong> which has been officially extended until the winter of 2030\/31. The \u00a3150 rebate will apply automatically each year to eligible customers, a measure that aims to cushion vulnerable groups against persistently high living costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decision follows the Government\u2019s previous expansion of the scheme, which added 2.7 million<\/strong> families in 2025 and brought the total number of recipients to roughly six million. According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero<\/a>, this latest extension is part of broader efforts to reduce household costs amid continuing energy price pressures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-Term Energy Bill Relief for Vulnerable Groups<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Warm Home Discount scheme provides a one-off \u00a3150 annual rebate to eligible households<\/a> during winter, distributed directly through electricity suppliers. In England and Wales, those receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit will automatically receive the discount, provided their supplier has over 1,000 customers. According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 96% of recipients<\/strong> in these regions are now receiving the rebate automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scotland will see a significant change to the scheme’s administration. Until now, many eligible Scottish households had to apply directly through their supplier to access the benefit. From next winter, around 345,000 families in Scotland will receive the discount automatically<\/strong>, a shift that brings the process in line with the rest of Great Britain. According to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the reform will simplify access and ensure \u201cvital support in the cold winter months<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the continuation of the scheme being widely welcomed, some charities have expressed concern over its limitations. According to Citizens Advice, while the annual \u00a3150 support avoids a sudden cut-off, it may fall short for families struggling with higher energy usage. Simon Francis<\/strong>, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, warned that the scheme risks \u201clocking in\u201d inadequate support for those not identified through government data matching systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a3150 Bill Reduction Also Expected from April through Policy Change<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the Warm Home Discount,<\/a> a separate \u00a3150 reduction to average household energy bills is scheduled from April 2026. This will be achieved by scrapping the Energy Company Obligation<\/strong> (ECO) scheme, a move expected to deliver further financial relief to households, according to the Government\u2019s January announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the rebate is funded by energy firms, the cost is currently passed on to all customers via the standing charge, a fixed fee<\/strong> applied regardless of usage. The Government is consulting on reforms that would instead recover costs through the unit rate, meaning heavier energy users would contribute more. According to reporting from the BBC, this change is under review, with some consumer advocates arguing that it could undermine the scheme\u2019s benefits for high-usage but low-income households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to National Energy Action<\/strong>, the continuation of the Warm Home Discount offers critical reassurance to households at risk of fuel poverty. Matt Copeland<\/strong>, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the organisation, stated that alongside the rebate, sustained access to energy advice and outreach to those outside the benefits system remains vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the long-term support is designed to offer stability, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is advising households who believe they qualify but have not received notification to contact the dedicated helpline before 27 February<\/strong>. This step ensures accurate data matching and timely delivery of the rebate for the current winter season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Government just made a major decision about energy bills, and millions will feel the impact this winter. If you’re on a low income or receive certain benefits, you’re likely eligible for \u00a3150 back. But not everyone qualifies automatically.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":117100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117098"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117106,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117098\/revisions\/117106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}