Citizens Advice published an analysis paper, "Fixing the foundations: The need for better targeted support for energy consumers", on 21 August 2024, setting out evidence on household energy debt and calling for reform of the Warm Home Discount before winter1.
The charity said energy was the most common type of issue it helped people with in the first three months of 2024, and that four of its five busiest months for energy debt advice since January 2019 fell in 20241. It described millions of households as still struggling, with many "burdened with unsustainable energy debts built up over recent years"1.
The paper cites a predicted rise in the energy price cap of around 9% in autumn, which it says would mean bills of £1,714 for a typical household, up nearly £150 from the level at the time of publication1. Citizens Advice said it commissioned nationally representative polling of adults in Great Britain on expectations for the coming winter, though the paper text does not give the polling figures1.
Its central recommendation is that support be delivered through the existing discount rather than a new mechanism:
"The most efficient way to provide this is to reform the Warm Home Discount, to ensure it reaches more households and provides support that is based on their energy needs."
The paper states that "it is clear that more support is urgently needed" and that "the government must work fast to ensure that effective support is put in place"1. It does not set out a timetable, costings or a proposed eligibility threshold for a reformed scheme, and no government response to the paper has been reported1.
Why it matters for households
The Warm Home Discount is a rebate applied to electricity accounts for households meeting the scheme's criteria, so any change to who qualifies or how much it is worth affects a home's bill directly. The paper's argument is that the current design misses households whose energy needs are high, which is the same group most exposed to a price cap rise1. For a household weighing up what support exists, the distinction between the discount and other payments matters: the Winter Fuel Payment is a separate benefit with different rules, and the debate over a social tariff is a different mechanism again, as set out in our comparison of an energy social tariff and the Warm Home Discount. Eligibility detail sits in our guide to who qualifies for the Warm Home Discount. Citizens Advice is one of the energy consumer bodies that advise households on energy suppliers and debt; its Scotland-facing work is covered in energy suppliers in Scotland. Households approached about grants should note our guidance on energy grant scams.
What happens next
The paper calls for reform ahead of winter, but no date, consultation or legislative step is given in it1. The predicted price cap change for autumn is cited without a confirmed figure1.