The short answer
- How much: £150, taken off your electricity bill. It isn't paid to you as cash.
- Who gets it: households on certain means-tested benefits (see below).
- Do I need to apply? In England and Wales, usually not: it's applied automatically. In Scotland, some people need to apply to their supplier.
- Qualifying date: you needed to be eligible on 23 August 2026.
England and Wales: who qualifies
You may get it if, on 23 August 2026, your energy supplier was part of the scheme, your name (or your partner's) was on the electricity bill, and you or your partner got a qualifying benefit, including:
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Pension Credit
Check the full list on GOV.UK if you get a different benefit.
Scotland: who qualifies
You get it automatically if you or your partner get Pension Credit, or certain other benefits such as extra Universal Credit for a disability or health condition, or you're on Universal Credit with a child under 5. If you don't get it automatically, you can apply to your energy supplier under the "broader group", and they'll tell you what they accept.
Good to know
- Prepayment meter? You can still get it. Your supplier may give you a top-up voucher instead.
- Gas bill instead? If the same supplier provides your gas and electricity, you may be able to have it on your gas bill. Ask them.
- It doesn't affect Cold Weather Payments or the Winter Fuel Payment.
- Northern Ireland isn't part of the scheme.
What £150 covers
At today's electricity price of 26.32p per kWh, £150 pays for roughly 570 kWh of electricity. That's around two to three months of electricity for a typical home.
Also worth checking: the Winter Fuel Payment if you're over State Pension age.
Sources: GOV.UK Warm Home Discount, GOV.UK (England and Wales), GOV.UK (Scotland).