Ofgem published its annual report on the Warm Home Discount (WHD) for scheme year 14 on 7 May 2026, covering the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 20251. The regulator reported that obligated suppliers spent £595.2 million supporting eligible low-income households through £150 rebates and Industry Initiatives, with £543.5 million spent in England and Wales and £51.7 million in Scotland1.
Rebates of £150 were provided to 3.41 million customers in or at risk of fuel poverty, comprising 3.14 million in England and Wales and 276,672 in Scotland1. Ofgem said this is up from a total of 3.35 million in scheme year 131. Suppliers also delivered £83.1 million of alternative support through Industry Initiatives, up from £76.4 million in the previous year, split as £72.9 million in England and Wales and £10.3 million in Scotland1. Total spending on the scheme since it launched in 2011 has reached £5.13 billion1.
| Measure | England and Wales | Scotland | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier spending | £543.5 million | £51.7 million | £595.2 million |
| £150 rebates issued | 3.14 million | 276,672 | 3.41 million |
| Industry Initiatives spending | £72.9 million | £10.3 million | £83.1 million |
On compliance, Ofgem reported that six suppliers were responsible for 13 non-compliances on the England and Wales scheme, and five suppliers were responsible for 13 non-compliances in Scotland1. It said these were mostly cases where rebates were not provided by the relevant deadline, affecting 6.7% of all rebates, and that suppliers agreed to issue £150 compensation to those affected in addition to the £150 rebate1. Some suppliers also failed to spend the required amount on their non-core obligation, a shortfall representing 0.2% of the combined non-core spending obligations; Ofgem said those sums were added to future obligations and the suppliers also agreed to make additional payments to support consumers in or at risk of fuel poverty1.
"The Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme was first introduced by the Government in 2011 to support low-income households or individuals who are vulnerable to cold-related illness or living in or at risk of fuel poverty in Great Britain."
Why it matters for households
The WHD is a grant scheme funded through a levy on suppliers, so its cost is ultimately recovered through energy bills. For a household that receives the £150 rebate, the sum is applied to the electricity bill, usually between October and March, and does not need to be repaid. The report shows the number of rebates rose slightly year on year, from 3.35 million to 3.41 million, while the rebate value stayed at £1501.
The compliance figures matter because they show where rebates were late. Ofgem reports that 6.7% of all rebates were affected by missed deadlines, and that affected households were due £150 compensation on top of the rebate1. The report does not say how many individual households were affected by late payment, only the proportion of rebates.
Industry Initiatives are the part of the scheme that funds advice and other support rather than direct rebates, and spending on them rose to £83.1 million from £76.4 million1. For a household in or at risk of fuel poverty, that spending can reach them as debt advice, energy efficiency measures or benefit checks rather than as a bill credit. The report does not break down what the £83.1 million bought.
The scheme sits within the wider regulation and policy framework that governs supplier obligations, including the supplier licensing and failure arrangements that determine what happens to a household's supply and any scheme entitlements if its supplier exits the market.
What happens next
Ofgem has not reported any dated next steps in the report. The sums representing non-core spending shortfalls have been added to suppliers' future obligations, and the affected suppliers agreed to make additional payments to support consumers in or at risk of fuel poverty1. A spreadsheet with the underlying data is published alongside the report1.