Last updated: Monday 28 September 2026 (Europe/London).
Next update: when DESNZ reprints the 2026/27 Warm Home Discount eligibility statement or Ofgem updates participating-supplier lists.
By: Switch Editorial Team, Switch Squid Ltd
As of 28 September 2026, the Warm Home Discount for winter 2026/27 is a one-off £150 credit on your electricity bill (sometimes gas on request) — while Ofgem’s Oct–Dec 2026 dual-fuel Direct Debit typical bill sits at £1,723. The rebate is real help if you qualify, but it is not a reason to ignore a cheaper fixed or a better standing-plus-unit deal. Primary Compare buttons on this page use MoneySuperMarket’s residential energy journey — never SwitchSquid’s business-energy form. We may earn a commission if you switch through our links.
Sources: GOV.UK Warm Home Discount overview, Ofgem WHD eligibility, and Ofgem price-cap unit rates and standing charges (Oct–Dec 2026 cap announced 26 August 2026).
Compare home energy deals (MoneySuperMarket)
- Ofgem Oct–Dec typical dual-fuel Direct Debit sketch: £1,723
- Check fixed vs SVT with your real kWh
- Warm Home Discount eligibility is separate from the quote — confirm with your supplier
What the Warm Home Discount is (plain English)
The Warm Home Discount is a government scheme that gives eligible households a one-off £150 reduction on their electricity bill for the scheme year. The money is not paid into your bank account as cash — your electricity supplier applies it to the account (or issues a voucher/cheque path for some prepay customers). GOV.UK states the scheme reopens in October 2026 for winter 2026/27.
It sits beside Cold Weather Payment and Winter Fuel Payment. Getting one support does not automatically cancel another. Northern Ireland uses a different Affordable Warmth route — this guide is for England, Scotland and Wales.
Offer facts vs bill maths (checked 28 September 2026)
| Item | Figure | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Warm Home Discount | £150 one-off | Electricity account credit (or gas on request where dual-fuel) |
| Ofgem dual-fuel DD typical | £1,723/year | Oct–Dec 2026 price-cap sketch (2,500 kWh elec / 9,500 kWh gas) |
| Electricity standing (national DD avg) | 54.83p/day | Ofgem Oct–Dec 2026 |
| Gas standing (national DD avg) | 29.68p/day | Ofgem Oct–Dec 2026 |
| Electricity unit (national DD avg) | 26.32p/kWh | 0% VAT on electricity 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027 in published averages |
| Gas unit (national DD avg) | 7.97p/kWh | 5% VAT included in Ofgem averages |
£150 is roughly one month of a typical dual-fuel sketch (£1,723 ÷ 12 ≈ £143). Useful — not a full winter bill wipe. A switch that saves more than £150 over Year-1 still matters even if you also expect the rebate.
Who gets it automatically — and who applies
Rules differ by nation. Ofgem’s eligibility pages summarise Core Group paths for England and Wales versus Scotland, plus a Scottish Broader Group that is application-based with supplier-set criteria approved by Ofgem. Qualifying benefits on the scheme-year qualifying date matter — DESNZ issues the England/Wales eligibility statement; Scotland follows the regulations Scottish Ministers set within the spending limit.
Supplier participation lists also matter. Ofgem publishes compulsory participants for 2026/27 (including large groups such as Centrica, E.ON, EDF, Octopus, OVO, Utilita and others). White-label brands that sit under a licensed supplier can also deliver the discount. Always confirm your exact retail brand is covered before you treat a switch as “WHD-safe”.
Ofgem’s plain warning on switching: if you were not with a participating supplier on the qualifying date and you switch after that date, you will not receive that scheme year’s Core Group discount from the new supplier. If you are waiting on a Scottish Broader Group award, Ofgem suggests waiting until you have received the discount before switching. Confidence Code comparison sites must flag whether a destination supplier participates.
How switching and the £150 interact
Three practical cases:
- Already eligible Core Group, staying put: Wait for the government letter (typically autumn/winter) and the supplier credit by 31 March of the scheme year. Still run a MoneySuperMarket quote — a fixed that beats your expected SVT after the rebate can still win.
- Eligible, considering a switch: Check the new supplier’s WHD participation and whether you risk losing this year’s award because of the qualifying date. Diary the date DESNZ publishes. Do not invent a “safe switch window” if the statement is not yet public for your nation.
- Not eligible: Ignore rebate theatre. Compare dual-fuel Year-1 cash under the £1,723 sketch using your kWh.
Choose a home energy plan to compare
- Same postcode and usage on every quote
- Open standing charge + unit rate on each tariff label
- Add any exit fee if you leave a fixed early
Fit summary
Good for: households who qualify (or likely qualify) for the 2026/27 Warm Home Discount and want to weigh the £150 credit against a live switch under the Oct–Dec cap.
Consider alternatives: if you are deep inside a fixed with a steep exit fee, do exit-fee maths first. If you are on Economy 7 or an EV tariff, compare multi-rate products, not only dual-fuel Direct Debit tiles.
Not for: Northern Ireland (different scheme) or business sites — use our business-energy form path instead.
Important conditions
- £150 is a one-off scheme-year credit, not a monthly discount.
- Eligibility depends on benefits, bill-name, nation rules and participating suppliers on the qualifying date.
- £1,723 is Ofgem’s typical-use sketch, not your personal bill.
- Prepay customers may receive vouchers rather than a Direct Debit credit — ask the supplier how delivery works.
- Park-home residents use a separate Industry Initiative route administered with limited funding.
- Business meters must not use the residential Compare buttons on this page.
Switching steps (twenty minutes)
1) Confirm whether you expect Core Group or Broader Group (Scotland) pathways.
2) Note your electricity supplier on any published qualifying date and whether they participate.
3) Export 12 months of kWh (or best annual estimate).
4) Open MoneySuperMarket with the same postcode and usage.
5) Rank by estimated annual cost; open standing + unit rates.
6) Only switch if Year-1 all-in wins after exit fees — and after you understand WHD timing risk.
Final decision card
Expect £150 and a quiet SVT winter → stay alert for the letter, still compare once.
Expect £150 but a fixed undercuts your Year-1 sketch by more than the rebate + exit pain → switch with eyes open on participation.
No eligibility → treat this as a normal October switch guide under £1,723.
Check availability on live home energy quotes
- Residential MoneySuperMarket journey only
- Re-check tariff labels at checkout
- Keep WHD letters and supplier emails for your records
Worked shapes (illustrative, not quotes)
Pensioner Core Group on SVT: £150 arrives as a winter credit. If a fixed saves £200 Year-1 after any exit fee and the new supplier participates, the switch can still stack with next year’s rules — confirm dates before you click.
Universal Credit household, Scotland Broader Group applicant: Apply when your supplier opens Broader Group. Ofgem’s guidance is to wait for the discount before switching if you have a live award path.
High-use dual-fuel home, not eligible: Focus on standing + unit maths under £1,723. The rebate page is not your primary lever.
Related SwitchSquid October guides
For standing-charge pence see our energy standing charge October guide. For exit fees, when-to-switch timing, and fixed-vs-SVT framing, use those October twins. This URL stays on Warm Home Discount versus switch maths.
Direct Debit, prepay and how the £150 arrives
GOV.UK is clear that eligible customers usually see the discount on the electricity bill, not as a bank transfer. Direct Debit accounts are typically credited. Prepay and pay-as-you-go customers may receive a voucher or meter credit instead — your supplier explains the exact path. If you take both gas and electricity from one supplier, you may be able to ask for the credit on gas instead; that is a supplier conversation, not an automatic switch.
Do not pause a sensible tariff switch purely because a voucher might arrive “sometime before 31 March”. Diary the letter window, keep screenshots of eligibility messages, and still run a like-for-like annual cost comparison with your real kWh. The rebate and the tariff decision answer different questions: one is a scheme credit, the other is twelve months of unit rates and standing charges.
Park-home residents are not ignored — they use a separate Industry Initiative application route with limited funding. If that is your situation, follow the park-home instructions on GOV.UK rather than assuming the Core Group letter will find you.
Stacking support without double-counting
Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payment and Winter Fuel Payment are separate schemes. GOV.UK states the Warm Home Discount will not affect the other two. When you sketch winter affordability, list each support on its own line rather than assuming they cancel each other. Also remember the Oct–Dec £1,723 figure is a typical-use sketch on Ofgem’s 2026 TDCV — low users and high users will sit either side of it even before any rebate.
If a comparison tile promises savings “after the Warm Home Discount”, ask whether the tile actually models your eligibility. Most public comparison journeys do not know your benefits status. Treat £150 as a manual adjustment you apply after you see the tariff maths, not as a hidden checkbox inside every quote.
FAQ
How much is the Warm Home Discount in 2026/27?
GOV.UK and Ofgem describe a one-off £150 discount on the electricity bill for eligible households in the scheme year.
When does the Warm Home Discount reopen?
GOV.UK states the scheme reopens in October 2026 for winter 2026 to 2027.
Will switching stop my Warm Home Discount?
It can for that scheme year if you were not with a participating supplier on the qualifying date. Check Ofgem’s switching guidance and your nation’s eligibility statement before you move.
Is the Ofgem price cap £1,723 in October 2026?
Yes for the Oct–Dec 2026 dual-fuel Direct Debit typical bill published by Ofgem — not a personal guarantee.
Do I need to apply in England and Wales?
Most Core Group customers receive the discount automatically and get a government letter. Follow the letter if it asks you to confirm. Scotland has additional Broader Group application routes.
Can prepay customers get the Warm Home Discount?
Yes. Delivery may be a voucher or meter credit — ask your supplier how it will arrive.
Does SwitchSquid send home energy clicks to MoneySuperMarket?
Yes. Residential Compare buttons use MoneySuperMarket’s tracked energy journey. Business quotes belong on our separate business-energy form.
Does the Warm Home Discount affect Winter Fuel Payment?
GOV.UK states the discount will not affect Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.
