Thousands of struggling households may be eligible for a one-off payment worth £140 to help toward the cost of their energy bills.
The support comes from the Warm Home Discount scheme, which you can apply for directly through your energy supplier.
But most suppliers have already closed their schemes - there are only four still open and they'll likely be ending soon.
The extra help will come in handy as Brits face surging energy bills in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
Regulator Ofgem has increased its price cap - the maximum amount suppliers can charge customers per unit - in a move that affected 15million homes.
Are energy bills too high? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Those on default tariffs paying by direct debit have seen an increase of £139 from £1,138 to £1,277 as of October 1.
Prepayment customers have seen bills rise by £153 from £1,156 to £1,309.
But price cap is due to be updated on February 7, with energy bills predicted to rise by 50% to an average of £2,000 a year from April.
What is the Warm Home Discount scheme?
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off payment of £140 that is designed to help cover the cost of heating your home.
The government confirmed last month that this amount will rise to £150 but no date has been set yet for when this increase will happen.
The money from the Warm Home Discount Scheme is not paid to you as a cash sum.
Instead, it is normally paid directly to your energy supplier, who will then apply the discount to your energy bills.
The discount is applied between October and March.
Or if you have a pre-payment meter, you'll be sent a £140 voucher that can be used to top up your meter.
Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount scheme?
To qualify for the Warm Home Discount scheme, you must fall into one of the two categories:
- You get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the "core group"
- You’re on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme - known as the "broader group"
How you apply for the Warm Home Discount scheme depends on how you qualify for the discount.
How do you apply for the Warm Home Discount scheme?
The first step is to check if your energy supplier offers the Warm Home Discount scheme, as not all suppliers are signed up to the support.
If your energy provider is part of the scheme, those in the "core group" should receive a letter between October and December 2021 telling them how to get the discount.
This letter will say if you need to call a helpline by February 28, 2022 to confirm your details.
If you don't get a letter by December 31, and you think you're eligible, you can contact the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 731 0214.
Those in the "broader group" who are on a low-income can apply directly to their energy supplier, again, providing they are taking part in the scheme.
Each energy supplier will set their own eligibility criteria to decide who gets the discount.
Each firm will also only have a certain amount of support they can offer, so it's best to apply sooner rather than later to avoid missing out.
Which energy suppliers are open for applications now?
Open for applications:
- Bulb - open for applications
E.ON - open for applications
- E.ON Next (including NPower, Sainsbury's Energy, Enstroga, Igloo Energy and Symbio Energy) - open for applications
- So Energy - open for applications
Closed for applications:
- Boost - closed for applications
- British Gas (including British Gas Evolve or Scottish Gas, and for Bluegreen, MoneyPlus Energy, Neon Reef, People's Energy, PFP Energy, Social Energy, and Zebra Power) - closed for applications
- E - closed for applications
- EDF - closed for applications
- Octopus Energy (including Affect Energy, Co-op Energy, London Power, M&S Energy, Qwest Energy, Roar Power) - closed for applications
- Ovo Energy - closed for applications
- Scottish Power - closed for applications
- Shell Energy (including Daligas, Goto Energy, Green Supplier Limited, and Pure Planet) - closed for applications
- SSE (including SSE Atlantic, Scottish Hydro, Southern Electric or Swalec) - closed for applications
- Utilita - closed for applications
Utility Warehouse - closed for applications
