How To news from 2026
12 stories, newest first
- November 2026
Winter Fuel Payments of between £150 and £400 pay out from November 2026
Winter Fuel Payments of between £150 and £400 reach state pensioners from November 2026, while a new £100 Household Energy Payment for homes in Council Tax bands A to D in England follows from January.
- October 2026
Smart Energy GB research reveals energy support scams targeting households
Smart Energy GB research found 83 per cent of Brits received a scam text, email or call this year, with fraudsters exploiting the Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount.
DWP sends Winter Fuel Payment letters ahead of winter 2026 to 2027
The Department for Work and Pensions is sending Winter Fuel Payment entitlement letters in October or November, with most payments due in November or December 2026.
Hackney urges residents to apply for Warm Homes Local Grant
Hackney Council has announced that more than 3,000 households in the borough will receive letters from the Greater London Authority urging them to apply for the Warm Homes Local Grant.
- September 2026
Winter Fuel Payment claims open for winter 2026/27
Claims for the winter 2026/27 Winter Fuel Payment opened on 21 September 2026 and close on 31 March 2027, with most eligible households paid automatically in November or December.
- August 2026
Deadline for eligible households to be named on energy bill for automatic Warm Home Discount
Households on means-tested benefits must be named on their electricity bill by 23 August 2026, the date suppliers will use to award the £150 Warm Home Discount automatically this winter.
Warm Home Discount eligibility statement for England and Wales published for 2026 to 2027 scheme year
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has published the Warm Home Discount eligibility statement for England and Wales for the 2026 to 2027 scheme year.
- March 2026
Current warm home discount regulations expire
The regulations underpinning the Warm Home Discount expire on 31 March 2026, with a 2025 instrument extending the period for issuing rebate notices and widening eligibility for winter 2025-26.
FAQ page on switching, tariffs and bills updated
Smart Energy GB has updated its consumer FAQ page on switching supplier, tariffs and bills, restating that smart meter owners can switch in the same way as anyone with a traditional meter.
Winter Fuel Payment scheme for Winter 2025-2026 closes
The Winter Fuel Payment scheme for Winter 2025-2026 has closed, with details of future schemes stated as becoming available later in 2026.
- February 2026
Energy Ombudsman warns of increase in scam emails impersonating it and suppliers
The Energy Ombudsman has published guidance on a rise in fraudulent emails that impersonate it and some suppliers, telling recipients a complaint has been reviewed and pressing them to complete forms.
- January 2026
Warm Home Discount expanded to more people on means-tested benefits this year
The Warm Home Discount has expanded this year to include more people on certain means-tested benefits, the consumer body Which? has reported, setting out the £150 payment and other winter support.