The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has extended its Warm Home Discount scheme for 2024/25, it has confirmed.

People who claim one type of DWP benefit can 'unlock' free £150 payment

by · Birmingham Live

British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus customers have been told they can "unlock" a free £150 payment this month. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has extended its Warm Home Discount scheme for 2024/25, it has confirmed.

The scheme gives eligible households a direct energy bill payment worth £150, with the discount applied automatically to bills. If you live in England and Wales, you’ll be eligible to receive it if you get either the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, or you’re on a low income and have high energy costs.

You are automatically eligible for the support this year if you have an account with a participating electricity supplier and claim the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit or another qualifying benefit on August 11.

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If you don't claim Pension Credit but are eligible, you still have some time. This is because successful Pension Credit applications are backdated by three months. This means if you put in a claim for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit by November 11, your claim will be backdated to August 11, making you eligible for the Warm Home Discount.

The following energy suppliers are all part of the Warm Home Discount scheme and will issue the £150 discount to eligible households, it has been confirmed ahead of November:

  • 100Green (formerly Green Energy UK or GEUK)
  • Affect Energy – see Octopus Energy
  • 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
  • Fuse Energy
  • Good Energy
  • Home Energy
  • London Power
  • Octopus Energy
  • Outfox the Market
  • OVO
  • Rebel Energy
  • Sainsbury’s Energy
  • Scottish Gas – see British Gas
  • ScottishPower
  • Shell Energy Retail
  • So Energy
  • Tomato Energy
  • TruEnergy
  • Utilita
  • Utility Warehouse

If you don’t get a letter by early January 2025 and you think you’re eligible for the scheme, you should contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline on 0800 030 9322 before February 28, 2025.