The Warm Home Discount scheme for winter 2025 to 2026 will open in October 2025, according to Cornwall Council1. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published its eligibility statement for England and Wales for the 2025 to 2026 scheme year on 30 September 20252. The statement sets out the criteria used to determine eligibility for a rebate under Core Group 2, and is required under Regulation 9 of The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 20222.
The discount is a one-off £150 applied as credit to electricity bills, available to many people who receive Pension Credit or are on low incomes3. Eligible people in England and Wales receive it automatically, while those in Scotland must apply to their energy provider3. Energy UK states the scheme reopened in October 2025 and offers a one-off £150 discount on electricity bills to those eligible, with eligibility requirements varying between England and Wales and Scotland4. National Grid states the supplier applies the discount directly to the electricity bill and that the money is not paid to the household5.
The scheme has been expanded. Energy UK reports that from October 2025 the Warm Home Discount is expanded to include an additional 2.7 million households, bringing the total to an estimated 6.1 million households in receipt of the support, and that this allows all households in receipt of means-tested benefits to qualify for the £150 discount6. The same briefing states the scheme is scheduled to end in March 2026, though the cost of the increased discount will be spread over the four price caps covering October 2025 to September 20266. A Commons Library briefing states that following a government announcement in June 2025, the scheme has been expanded from October 2025 to include more households experiencing fuel poverty, and that the government intends to continue the Warm Home Discount across Great Britain for a further five years to winter 2030/317.
The eligibility statement covers two elements: the qualifying means-tested benefits a person must receive to meet the low-income criteria, and the types of properties that can be eligible for a rebate2.
"This statement describes the criteria used to determine eligibility for a rebate under Core Group 2."
Which households qualify differs by nation. The Commons Library sets out the position as follows7:
| Nation | How the £150 discount is obtained |
|---|---|
| England and Wales | Applied to the bill automatically by the electricity supplier if eligible |
| Scotland | People on low income need to contact their energy suppliers to apply |
The Commons Library describes eligible customers as essentially those who get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or have a low income evidenced by other specified benefit receipt7. National Grid similarly states eligibility covers those on a low income or getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, and advises contacting the supplier for information on applying where a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go meter is used5.
Why it matters for households
The discount reduces the electricity bill by £150 over the winter, applied as credit rather than paid as cash3. For a household on a low income or receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, that is a direct reduction in the amount owed for the months when heating use is highest. Because the discount is applied to the electricity bill, it does not reduce gas consumption or gas charges, and it does not change how a home is heated.
The expansion matters beyond the households newly qualifying. Energy UK states the October 2025 price cap of £1,755 for a typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit was £35, or 2%, higher than the previous level of £1,720 a year, and that the cap increased partly because more households will receive the Warm Home Discount, which is paid for via the energy bill6. Energy UK adds that October's cap is one example where the bill to support low-income households is being picked up by other customers6. The Commons Library notes the price cap remains more than a third above pre-crisis levels6.
The scheme sits alongside other winter support. The Commons Library states the standard Winter Fuel Payment amounts for winter 2025/26 are £200 per eligible household where the oldest person is under 80, and £300 for households containing a person aged 80 or over, and that payments are mostly made in November or December7. Cold Weather Payments of £25 for each week of cold weather run from 1 November to 31 March7. Which of these a household can receive, and whether the discount arrives automatically or must be applied for, depends on where in Great Britain it lives7.
What happens next
The scheme opened in October 20251. The Commons Library states the Warm Home Discount is scheduled to continue across Great Britain for a further five years to winter 2030/317, while Energy UK states the expanded scheme is scheduled to end in March 2026, with the cost spread over the four price caps covering October 2025 to September 20266. The two accounts differ on the end date. The Commons Library also reports that from April 2026, both the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments in England will be replaced by a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, to be delivered by local authorities7.
Sources7 cited
- Cost of living support for rising energy costs - Cornwall Council, cornwall.gov.uk
- Warm Home Discount: eligibility statement (England and Wales), 2025 to 2026 scheme year - GOV.UK, gov.uk
- Energy support returns for millions this winter - British Gas Energy Trust, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk
- Support for energy bills - Energy UK, energy-uk.org.uk
- [National Grid - Support for energy bills
](https://customer.nationalgrid.co.uk/advice-and-guidance/support-for-energy-bills), customer.nationalgrid.co.uk
- Energy UK Explains: October 2025 price cap - Energy UK, energy-uk.org.uk
- [](https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06163/SN06163.pdf), researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk