You could get £140 towards your electricity bill this winter - here’s how to apply

The winter season may be full of festive cheer, but the cold temperatures can be costly when it comes to electricity bills.

While most of us will crank up the heating in a bid to keep the house warm and toasty, some struggle to afford the additional costs - but you could be eligible to receive a payment towards the bills.

Warm home discount

Pensioners and those on a low income could receive a helping hand with electricity payments this winter, thanks to the warm home discount.

The discount is a government scheme that grants those who are eligible £140 towards their heating costs. The payment is usually paid directly to your energy supplier, who will then apply the discount to your bills.

Those who have a pre-payment meter will be sent a £140 voucher that can be used to top up your account.

The discount applies between September and March, and may also be put towards a gas bill if it is the same supplier as you use for electricity.

Who is eligible?

There are two ‘groups’ that qualify for the discount, known as the ‘core’ and ‘broader’ groups.

Core group

If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit you qualify for the discount if on 7 July 2019 all of the following applied:

your energy supplier was part of the schemeyour name (or your partner’s) was on the billyou were getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit as well)

If you fall into the ‘core group’, you should have received a letter between October and December with more information on how to get the discount. This letter will have let you know if you need to call the helpline by 28 February 2020 to confirm your details.