The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the eligibility statement for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales for the 2026 to 2027 scheme year on 7 August 20261. The statement sets out the criteria that apply to the scheme for that year1.
The department describes the scheme as one that "obligates participating suppliers to provide rebates to eligible low-income households"1. It adds that the scheme "helps households in, or at risk of, fuel poverty with direct energy bill payments as well as other financial and energy-related support"1.
"The Warm Home Discount scheme obligates participating suppliers to provide rebates to eligible low-income households."
The publication is a statutory requirement. Under Regulation 10 of the Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2026, the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero must publish an eligibility statement for each scheme year1. The statement applies to England and Wales1.
The published page does not set out the eligibility criteria themselves, the rebate amount, or the qualifying benefits for 2026 to 2027; those details sit in the linked statement document, and no figures for the coming year have been reported on the page announcing the publication1. The department has not stated on that page whether the criteria differ from the previous scheme year1.
Why it matters for households
The Warm Home Discount is a direct credit applied to electricity bills by participating suppliers, aimed at households in or at risk of fuel poverty1. Because it is delivered through suppliers rather than as a standalone payment, eligibility depends on both the household's circumstances and whether its supplier takes part in the scheme1.
For a household's energy independence, the practical effect is a reduction in the annual cost of keeping a home supplied and warm, rather than a change to how energy is generated or bought. The statement published on 7 August 2026 is the document that fixes who qualifies for the 2026 to 2027 year in England and Wales1. Households in Scotland are not covered by this statement, which applies to England and Wales only1.
The detail that matters to an individual household, including which benefits and income thresholds apply and how the rebate is delivered, is set out in the statement document itself rather than in the announcement1. Readers looking at who qualifies for the Warm Home Discount or at how to claim the Warm Home Discount will need the criteria in that document, which has not been summarised in the publication notice1.
What happens next
The eligibility statement for the 2026 to 2027 scheme year has been published, dated 7 August 20261. No further dates, including any opening date for claims or any supplier deadlines for the 2026 to 2027 year, are given on the published page1.