Changes made to the Warm Home Discount Scheme in response to consultation

Changes to the Warm Home Discount have been made in response to a government consultation that concluded in January 2026, and take effect from April 2026 onwards, according to Ofgem¹. The scheme is a fuel poverty reduction measure that has cut the energy costs of low-income and vulnerable households across Great Britain since 2011¹.

The scheme's main support is a £150 energy bill rebate, funded through a levy on all domestic gas and electricity customers¹. It covers England, Scotland and Wales and will run until 31 March 2031¹. It does not operate in Northern Ireland, where an Affordable Warmth Scheme is available instead¹.

Since 2022 the discount has run as two separate schemes, one for England and Wales and one for Scotland¹. Scheme year 16 begins in 2026, and the start dates differ:

Scheme years 17, 18, 19 and 20 will each run from 1 April to 31 March the following year for England, Wales and Scotland¹.

Eligibility groups are applied differently across Great Britain. In England and Wales the core group and industry initiatives apply; in Scotland the core group, industry initiatives and broader group apply¹. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is responsible for policy and legislation and administers the core groups in England and Wales, and Scotland, while the broader group in Scotland is delivered by each scheme supplier on an individual application basis¹. Ofgem administers the industry initiatives and facilitates suppliers' compliance¹.

"Changes to the Warm Home Discount Scheme have been made in response from April 2026 onwards."

All domestic energy suppliers with more than 1,000 customers must provide an annual bill discount to eligible households, and some smaller suppliers that are not obligated may take part voluntarily, contributing only towards the core groups¹. The detail of the changes themselves has not been reported in the material available; Ofgem states only that changes have been made in response to the consultation¹.

Separately, Smart Energy GB states that the scheme for winter 2025-2026 closed on 31 March 2026 and that details of future schemes will be available later in 2026². That page was last updated on 28 May 2026². It also gives the price cap for April to June 2026 at 24.67p per kWh of electricity with a 57.21p daily standing charge, and 5.74p per kWh of gas with a 29.09p daily standing charge, with an average two to three bedroom house paying by direct debit spending £1,641 a year on gas and electricity².

Why it matters for households

The discount is worth £150 off an annual electricity bill for households that qualify, and it is paid for through a levy spread across all domestic gas and electricity customers¹. For a household receiving it, the rebate reduces the amount of grid energy that has to be bought over the year, which is the same effect on a bill as generating or saving a comparable amount of energy at home. Because the money comes from a levy on every domestic customer, the cost of the scheme is carried by bill payers generally, including those who do not receive it¹.

The split between England and Wales and Scotland means the route to support differs by nation. In England and Wales, support runs through the core group and industry initiatives; in Scotland, a broader group also applies, delivered by suppliers on individual application¹. The eligibility rules therefore differ depending on where a household lives, and the suppliers that take part and how the rebate is paid are set by the supplier obligations described above¹. The discount is distinct from an energy social tariff, which is a different mechanism.

What happens next

Scheme year 16 opens on 1 April 2026 in England and Wales and on 1 May 2026 in Scotland, both ending on 31 March 2027¹. Scheme years 17 to 20 will each run from 1 April to 31 March¹. Smart Energy GB states that details of future schemes will be available later in 2026². The specific changes made in response to the consultation have not been reported¹.

Sources2 cited

1. Warm Home Discount (WHD) | Ofgem, ofgem.gov.uk
2. Government help with energy bills in England | Smart Energy GB, smartenergygb.org