The British Gas Warm Home Discount is a £140 rebate on energy bills open to British Gas customers in England, Scotland and Wales.

Many customers across the country dread the winter when it comes to their energy. Heating bill goes up and lights need to be kept on for longer, and when you’re struggling it can be very difficult to keep up. The British Gas Warm Home Discount is available for customers to help manage their bills during the cold season

What Is the Warm Home Discount?

The Warm Home Discount scheme was launched by the Government in April 2011 to combat fuel poverty and help those in vulnerable situations make their energy bills much more manageable in the tough winter months.

Now in its tenth year, the Warm Home Discount is available to British Gas customers using any payment method, including top-up (prepayment), direct debit, pay on receipt and quarterly billing.

You will receive the discount in a different form, depending on which payment method you use. If you pay by direct debit, your British Gas Warm Home Discount will be discounted from your account automatically. Prepay customers, on the other hand, will receive a voucher that can be redeemed at the nearest Payzone or post office.

Applications for the British Gas Warm Home Discount are open between October and April, when the weather is at its coldest, falling in line with the highest usage periods. The number of recipients is limited, so make your application as early as possible. The amount offered through the scheme is fixed at £140.

Are You Eligible?

Regardless of which supplier you get your energy from, the eligibility criteria for the British Gas Warm Home Discount remains the same across the board.

You will also have to be on a British Gas tariff.

Customers qualify for the British Gas Warm Home Discount if their electricity was supplied by British Gas on 4 July 2021 and you meet the criteria as a Core Group or Broader Group customer.

Core Group Customers

Customers are in the Core Group if they meet both of these conditions:

1. You (or your partner) are the account holder on 4 July 2021
2. You (or your partner) receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.

Broader Group Customers

If you don’t meet the requirements as a Core Group customer, you may be able to apply as a Broader Group customer. To apply as part of the Broader Group for the British Gas Warm Home Discount, British Gas has set out the following requirements:

1. Be in receipt of the Savings or Guarantee & Savings element of the State Pension Credit (unless you qualify in the Core Group)
2. Receive one of the following means tested benefitsAND your benefit must include one of the following:
   • Income support
   • Income based Jobseekers’ Allowance
   • Income related Employment and Support Allowance (which includes a work-related activity or support component)
   • Universal Credit (low income elements)
   • Child element for children aged 5 or under
   • Disabled child element
   • A disability or pensioner premium
3. Have a gross annual household income of less than £16,190 and at least one of the following:
   • The account holder is living with a mental or physical disability or illness
   • The account holder is of pensionable age
   • There is a child living in the house aged 5 or under
   • You spend 10% or more of household income on energy bills to heat your home

In some cases, to qualify for the Warm Home Discount, British Gas may request proof to support your claim.

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British Gas Warm Home Discount: How To Apply

The application process for the British Gas Warm Home Discount 2021/2022 is now closed.

Unless you’re part of the Core Group, you will need to apply for the scheme each year, even if you received it last year.

Apply as a Core Group customer

If you were a British Gas customer on or after 4 July 2021, British Gas will confirm your eligibility in writing between October and December 2021. You may be asked to contact the Warm Home Discount helpline to verify your information, but the British Gas Warm Home Discount team will let you know if you need to do this in the letter. However, you should receive the British Gas Warm Home Discount automatically, without any further action needed.

If you are still waiting to receive your letter and believe that you should have, then you should check the following information to check to see if there hasn’t been an error.

If your reference number begins with an ‘M’

You don’t need to do anything. If you have been with British Gas long enough, your discount will automatically be added to your account or your voucher will be sent out.

If British Gas was not your electricity provider on the stipulated date, but your previous supplier does subscribe to the Warm Home Discount, then it will pass this information onto the British Gas Warm Home Discount team and any discounts will be sent to your new account, so you will still benefit from the scheme.

If your reference number begins with a ‘U’

In this scenario, the reason why you haven’t received anything as of yet is that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) don’t yet have any information as to who your energy supplier is. As such, a simple phone call or letter will suffice to get your information updated and have your application reprocessed.

You will need to provide them with your Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) and your electricity account number. Don’t panic, they’re easy to find.

As a Broader Group Customer

To apply as a Broader Group customer for the Warm Home Discount, British Gas will need you to let them know about the details of the benefits you receive, along with any other household income. They might ask for you to provide proof, so once you have these details handy, you can contact British Gas to apply for the British Gas Warm Home Discount.

The British Gas Warm Home Discount for Broader Group customers is limited in the number of applications, we recommend you apply as early as possible to be in with the best chance of receiving the Warm Home Discount.

Other British Gas Energy Schemes

Finding it a struggle to pay your energy bills? You’re not alone. Whether you are eligible for the British Gas Warm Home Discount or not, you may qualify for a number of other energy grants and schemes, from the Cold Weather Payment to the Energy Company Obligation.

1. Be in receipt of the Savings or Guarantee & Savings element of the State Pension Credit (unless you qualify in the Core Group)
2. Receive one of the following means tested benefitsAND your benefit must include one of the following:
   • Income support
   • Income based Jobseekers’ Allowance
   • Income related Employment and Support Allowance (which includes a work-related activity or support component)
   • Universal Credit (low income elements)
   • Child element for children aged 5 or under
   • Disabled child element
   • A disability or pensioner premium
3. Have a gross annual household income of less than £16,190 and at least one of the following:
   • The account holder is living with a mental or physical disability or illness
   • The account holder is of pensionable age
   • There is a child living in the house aged 5 or under
   • You spend 10% or more of household income on energy bills to heat your home

What Happens If I Switch My Energy Supplier?

If you are part of the Core Group you don’t need to worry. Even if you switched your energy provider to another that does not provide the Warm Home Discount, you should have still received the Warm Home Discount if British Gas was your supplier on 4 July 2021.

For those who are part of the Broader Group, you could lose out on your rebate for the year if you do not continue to receive your electricity supply from a provider which participates in the Warm Home Discount scheme.

Fortunately, the number of providers that participate in the scheme continues to grow every year, and all suppliers with more than 150,000 customers are obligated to participate. However, many suppliers participate voluntarily .