Don’t get caught out by warm home discount scams

Households have been urged to watch out for scammers pretending to offer help with the warm home discount.

If you’re eligible for the £150 one-off discount off your electricity bill, you’ll get an official letter from the government through the post.

And in most cases, the money is automatically deducted from energy bills, so eligible households don’t have to apply or provide any bank details.

So if you get a text, call or email asking you for bank details to process your payment, it’s a scam.

“We know how difficult the festive season can be for those struggling with their bills,” said energy consumers minister Martin McCluskey.

“But fraudsters are well aware of the pressures facing families. 

“Don’t let scammers steal Christmas and make sure you know how to spot warm home discount scams.”

How to beat scammers

You can protect yourself by:

• looking out for an official letter confirming your eligibility
• not clicking on links in texts or emails claiming to be about the discount
• not sharing bank details or personal information

And remember the old adage that if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Check out our guide on how to outsmart online scammers for more tips to help you stay safe.

Who can get the warm home discount?

You’re eligible for a £150 one-off discount if you’re named on the bill and receive one of the following means-tested benefits:

• universal credit
• pension credit (guarantee credit and savings credit)
• income support
• housing benefit
• income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 

Last year, 96% of eligible households got their discount automatically.

Some people may need to confirm extra information to get the discount. 

But if that’s the case, you’ll get a letter explaining what to do and giving a genuine helpline number to call.

How many people are eligible for the warm home discount?

The warm home discount has been expanded this year, which brings the total number of people who’ll benefit to around six million, including:

• 900,000 families with children
• 1.8 million households in fuel poverty