Research published by Smart Energy GB on 6 October 2026 found that 83 per cent of Brits have received a scam text, email or phone call so far this year, with an average of 19 scam messages each1. Seventy-one per cent said scams are harder to spot because of AI, and two-fifths think they have received more scam messages in 2026 than at the same point last year1.
Sixteen per cent said they had already received a scam message or call claiming they must take action to receive government help, with specific messages focused on the Winter Fuel Payment and the Warm Home Discount1. Of those who responded, more than a third said they had lost money as a result1. Scammers are also using the names of other trusted organisations: nearly a third reported being targeted by someone claiming to represent a bank or financial institution, or posing as HMRC, and a fifth by someone impersonating an energy or utility company1.
The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount on the electricity bills of eligible households1. Most eligible households receive it automatically, although some in Scotland may still need to apply through their energy supplier1. The scheme runs from the end of October to March and the discount may be applied at any time in that period1. For people with non-smart prepayment meters, the discount may be provided through a voucher that has to be redeemed manually, while those with a smart prepay meter can have support credited directly to the meter1.
Consumer champion Dom Littlewood has joined forces with Smart Energy GB to share advice1. He said:
"Scams are getting more convincing every day, especially now AI can be used to create very realistic calls and messages."
He added that the best defence is to pause before replying, and that anyone receiving a message about the Warm Home Discount or anything else demanding urgency should go directly to GOV.UK or the organisation's official website to check the information1.
| Scam type reported | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Bank, financial institution or HMRC impersonation | Nearly a third |
| Energy or utility company impersonation | A fifth |
| Government help requiring action | 16 per cent |
Reporting routes given are: forwarding scam texts to 7726, free on most phone networks; contacting your bank immediately if money has been lost; and reporting fraud through Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland1.
Why it matters for households
Energy support schemes are a fixed point in many household budgets, and the research indicates that the messages arriving around them are not always genuine. The practical risk is concentrated in the weeks when the Winter Fuel Payment and the Warm Home Discount are in the news, because a demand for urgent action is exactly what a legitimate award does not require: most eligible households receive the discount automatically1.
For a household's energy independence, the distinction that matters is between support that arrives on its own and support that has to be claimed. Where a meter is a non-smart prepayment meter, the discount can arrive as a voucher needing manual redemption, which is the gap that messages asking for a fee, a link click or bank details are built to exploit1. A smart prepay meter removes that step by having support credited directly1. The Energy Grant Scams and Fake Government Schemes guide covers how fake schemes are presented, and How to Spot and Report an Energy Scam sets out the checks and reporting routes.
What happens next
The Warm Home Discount scheme runs from the end of October to March, and the discount may be applied at any time in that period1. No further dates have been reported.