What is the Warm Home Discount Scheme?

Unfortunately the Warm Home Discount Scheme is now closed to new applicants. 

The Scheme for 2012 / 2013 will open in April 2012.

Existing customers can call us on 0800 072 8625 or 0800 294 8604[1] if you have a Pay As You Go meter.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a 4 year programme run by the government and energy suppliers to provide rebates on the electricity bills of households that need it most in England, Scotland, and Wales.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme offers eligible customers a yearly one-off payment on their electricity bill. For Winter 2011/2012, this will be £120.

The WHD scheme separates eligible households into two groups – the ‘Core’ group and the ‘Broader’ group.

Core group

Households in the Core group will automatically receive the discount on their energy bill without having to take any action. Support under the Core group is targeted at very low income pensioners claiming pension credit. For the 2011/12 scheme the scheme is for Households in receipt of guarantee element of Pension Credit.

Payments to Core group customers will be made in Winter 2011/12 . HM Government will be writing out to all Core group recipients to confirm that they will receive the rebate. The vast majority of payments for 2011-12 will be made by 31 March 2012. Customers can contact the specialised WHD contact centre on 0845 603 9439 with any queries.

Core Group customers need to have been on supply with us and in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee at 11th September 2011. (Pension Credit recipient must be account holder or partner).

Broader group

Under the WHD scheme, suppliers have discretion over which households fall under their Broader group criteria. Each company has its own set of qualifying conditions.

British Gas has the widest set of criteria in the industry to provide support to a greater number of households. We are the only supplier which has committed to paying the WHD to all consumers who meet the eligibility criteria and apply before January 2012.

How does it work?

A one-off benefit of £120 (inclusive of VAT) will be provided to customers as a rebate payment credited to their electricity account between January and March 2012 subject to scheme criteria being met. There will be no alternate methods of payment available.

Our Pay As You Go customers will automatically receive the £120 credit on their electricity meter between January and March 2012, provided their meter is set up to receive such messages. If not, customers will receive a letter detailing how these payments will be made by 31st March 2012.

Who is eligible?

Broader group customers must have been on supply for their electricity with British Gas from the 10th October 2011, and continue to be in supply of their electricity with British Gas when the payments are made between January and March 2012.

In order to qualify for the Warm Home Discount you are required to meet the following criteria:

  • In receipt of the Savings or Guarantee & Savings element of the State Pension Credit
  • In receipt of one of the following means tested eligible benefits[2]
  1. Income related employment and support allowance
  2. Income based JobSeeker's Allowance
  3. Income Support

  • Customer household has an annual income of less than £16,190 and the account holder is living with a mental or physical disability or illness, or there is an element of vulnerability in the home, e.g.
  1. Households with children aged 5 years or under
  2. Account holder (or partner) aged 60 or over

  • Customer household has an annual income of less than £16,190[3] and spends 10% or more of their household annual income on fuel for adequate heating (usually 21 degrees for the main living room, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms).

[1] Lines open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-6pm. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for quality assurance.

BT customers will be charged a maximum of 4p per minute for this call. A call set up fee of 3p per call applies to calls from residential lines. Non BT customers should check the cost of the call with their provider.

[2] Eligibility requires the customer household to include a child aged 5 years or under or for the account holder to be in receipt of Child Tax Credit, Disability Premium, or Pensioner Premium.

[3] Household income includes War Disablement Pension, Disablement Pension Allowance and Working Tax Credit. Household income excludes Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, and Child Tax Credit.