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The short answer
The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 off your electricity bill for households receiving Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit on the qualifying date (23 August 2026 for winter 2026/27). Newcomers who cannot claim benefits can still ask their supplier for a payment plan, a payment break or a hardship fund, as Ofgem sets out.
Your first UK winter can bring an energy bill far bigger than anything you planned for. Help exists, but much of it is either tied to particular benefits or only given if you ask. This guide sets out the main routes in Great Britain, who they are for, and what newcomers on a visa should check before counting on any of them.
The Warm Home Discount
GOV.UK describes the Warm Home Discount as a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill. The money is not paid to you; your supplier takes it off your bill. If you use a prepayment meter you can still qualify, and your supplier may give you a voucher to top up instead. If the same company supplies your gas and electricity, you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill.
Who qualifies for winter 2026/27
Age UK's guide, updated on 15 September 2026, says the qualifying date for winter 2026/27 was 23 August 2026. You or your partner must have an account with a participating electricity supplier and, on that date, have been receiving one of:
- the Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit part of Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Universal Credit
Most eligible households get the discount automatically. Letters go out between November and January, and suppliers apply the discount by the end of March. If you think you qualify but have had no letter by mid-January, Age UK says to call the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322 before 26 February 2027. GOV.UK notes that people in Scotland may need to apply directly to their supplier, and the scheme does not run in Northern Ireland.
Why many newcomers do not get it
Because eligibility follows those benefits, a household that is not receiving any of them on the qualifying date will not qualify. Many visa holders have a condition of no recourse to public funds; our guide to what no recourse to public funds means explains what that covers. If you have settled status or indefinite leave and claim Universal Credit, check that the account holder named on the energy bill is the person (or partner) receiving the benefit.
Help from your own supplier
This is the route newcomers most often miss, and it does not depend on benefits. Ofgem says you can ask your supplier to agree a payment plan, a payment break or a reduction, and to review your current payments and any debt repayments. It also says suppliers may give access to hardship funds, and that you can ask whether your supplier has schemes or grants for energy costs, for paying off energy debt, or for energy-saving improvements to your home.
- Call or message your supplier before you fall far behind. Say plainly that you are struggling to pay.
- Ask for a payment plan you can afford and for a review of your direct debit.
- Ask directly: 'Do you have a hardship fund or grant I can apply for?'
- Ask to join the Priority Services Register if anyone in your home is eligible, such as a young child, an older person or someone with a health condition.
- Write down the date, the name of the adviser and what was agreed.
Prepayment meters
If you are on a prepayment meter and running out of credit, Ofgem has a separate page on help with prepayment meters, and your supplier should explain what emergency support it offers. Our guide on prepayment meter rights goes through the rules.
Councils, advice lines and debt protection
Ofgem points people to local councils, which may offer support with household costs, and to the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments for national schemes. For free advice on energy bills and supplier problems, Ofgem lists Citizens Advice:
| Nation | Citizens Advice energy line (as listed by Ofgem, Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| England | 0808 144 8844 |
| Scotland | 0808 196 8660, or Energyadvice.scot |
| Wales | 0800 702 2020, or Advicelink Cymru |
If debts are building up beyond energy, Ofgem notes you can get free advice from MoneyHelper and apply for temporary protection from creditors while you get advice: Breathing Space in England and Wales, or a debt moratorium in Scotland.
A worked example
Example only. A family in Leeds on Universal Credit since June 2026 has a £1,100 yearly electricity and gas bill paid by direct debit at about £92 a month. If they qualified on 23 August, the £150 Warm Home Discount would cut the year's cost to £950, or roughly £79 a month if spread evenly. A family on a visa with no benefits would not get that £150, but could still ask the supplier to spread arrears over a longer plan and apply to its hardship fund if it has one.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme cannot pay UK energy bills for you or reduce them. What it can do is help if part of your budget goes home: holding pounds and naira side by side in one multicurrency account makes it easier to see what is left for bills here before you send money to family. A Personal Assistant can set reminders for bill dates; nothing moves without your approval. See also setting up energy in your first UK flat.
Questions people ask
How much is the Warm Home Discount for 2026/27?
GOV.UK describes a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill. Age UK says the qualifying date for winter 2026/27 was 23 August 2026.
Can I get the Warm Home Discount on a visa?
Eligibility follows benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. If your visa means you cannot claim these, you are unlikely to qualify, but you can still ask your supplier for help.
Do energy suppliers have hardship funds?
Ofgem says suppliers may give access to hardship funds and grants. Ask your supplier directly what it offers.
Who do I call for free energy bill advice?
Ofgem lists Citizens Advice: 0808 144 8844 in England, 0808 196 8660 in Scotland and 0800 702 2020 in Wales.
Sources
- GOV.UK: The Warm Home Discount Scheme · accessed Oct 2026
- Age UK: Warm Home Discount (updated 15 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Ofgem: Get help with your energy bills · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.