Low income Britons could get £150 energy bill discount – eligibility criteria explained after scheme changed

It may be the discount can be applied to one’s gas bill instead, depending on eligibility and if the supplier provides the property with both gas and electricity.

The Government expanded and reformed the scheme in England and Wales last year, aiming to “better target fuel poverty” and to provide the “vast majority” of rebates automatically.

However, eligibility rule changes meant people getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Attendance Allowance would no longer qualify via these benefits, excluding around 210,000 people on disability benefits, according to Disability Rights UK.

Warm Home Discount Scheme eligibility

There are different ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme, and these depend on where a person lives.

Scotland

Residents in Scotland qualify for the scheme if they get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or they are on a low income in Scotland and meet their energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme – known as the ‘broader group’.

England and Wales

Those who live in England and Wales qualify if they get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or if they meet the low income criteria and have high energy costs.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2023/24 will open later this month on October 16.

​However, the list of means-tested benefits and tax credits a person, or their partner, must claim to qualify has been released.

These are:

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Universal Credit
• The Savings Credit element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (with household income below a specific threshold)
• Working Tax Credit (with household income below a specific threshold)

To qualify for the high energy cost part of the criteria, they must live in an eligible property type and have an energy cost score above a threshold, which will be set for the scheme year by the Secretary of State.

The person’s, or their partner’s, name must be on the bill and the energy supplier must be part of the scheme.

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The following suppliers are part of the scheme:

• 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
• Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
• Atlantic – see SSE Energy Services
• Boost
• British Gas
• Bulb Energy – see Octopus Energy
• Co-op Energy - see Octopus Energy
• E - also known as E (Gas and Electricity)
• Ecotricity
• E.ON Next
• EDF
• Good Energy
• London Power
• Octopus Energy
• Outfox the Market
• OVO
• Rebel Energy
• Sainsbury’s Energy
• Scottish Gas – see British Gas
• Scottish Hydro – see SSE Energy Services
• ScottishPower
• Shell Energy Retail
• So Energy
• Southern Electric – see SSE Energy Services
• SSE Energy Services
• Swalec – see SSE Energy Services
• Tomato Energy
• TruEnergy
• Utilita
• Utility Warehouse

In England and Wales, most eligible households will get an automatic discount.

People in Scotland don’t need to apply if they get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, but those eligible via the low income group (known as the broader group) will need to apply directly to their energy supplier.

The number of discounts suppliers can give is limited, so those in the broader group should contact their suppliers as early as they can.