Millions of households across Britain have been urged to ensure they will receive a £150 discount on their energy bills this winter by making a crucial check.
Around six million households will receive the Warm Home Discount this year, which applies an automatic rebate for eligible families.
In England and Wales, these are households in receipt of certain means-tested benefits, including Housing Benefit, Pension Credit and Universal Credit.
But the person receiving these benefits must be the one named on the energy bill by 23 August to receive the Warm Home Discount automatically, the government has warned.
An estimated 2.4 million households in receipt of a qualifying benefit won’t receive the discount this year, an official impact assessment finds, in many cases due to not having the right person named on the bill.
The scheme also runs in Scotland, but crucially is not automatic for all eligible households. Around 250,000 households in a ‘core group’ will receive the rebate automatically for the first time this year, while others must apply manually.
In some circumstances, a person claiming a qualifying benefit whose non-claiming spouse or partner is named on the bill may still be able to get the discount after the August deadline has passed.
The government says it will send out letters to claimants who should have qualified for the rebate but didn’t before December, advising them to call the Warm Home Discount helpline.
This line is open for anyone who believes they should have received a discount, with around 224,000 rebates (four per cent) issued manually through this channel in 2025/26.
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Earlier this year, the government confirmed that it was extending the Warm Home Discount to last the rest of the decade. The move came after an extra two million households were made eligible for the rebate after the criteria for the scheme was changed for 2025/26.
Energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Families will be worried about their energy bills this winter and our focus is on giving them breathing space, as we continue to work to bring down bills.
“Almost a million more families with children received the £150 Warm Home Discount last winter, after we expanded the scheme.
“If you know someone who might benefit, please start spreading the word and encourage them to check they are named on their energy bill.”
The energy shock caused by the US-Iran war has prompted energy bills to spike as oil prices increase. Ofgem’s price cap increased by £221 a year to £1,862 (up 13 per cent) from July, marking the highest level in two years.
Around £45 will be taken off energy bills from 1 October through a VAT cut, new prime minister Andy Burnham announced in his first week. It follows a move by former chancellor Rachel Reeves last November to cut an average £150 off bills, making costs nearly £200 cheaper overall.