Final call to get £150 off your energy bill

Most low-income households will have received a letter in early January advising them that their warm home discount will be automatically added to their energy account.

However, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has urged any households who haven’t received a letter and believe they could be eligible, to contact them before the scheme closes next month.

Anyone who claims means-tested benefits, including housing benefit, income-related employment and support allowance (ESA), income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), income support, the ‘savings credit’ part of pensions credit and universal credit, are eligible to claim the warm home discount.

You might also qualify if your household income is under a certain threshold, and you get either child tax credit or working tax credit.

If you think you’re eligible and haven’t heard already heard from the DWP, you need to contact the warm home discount helpline on 0800 030 9322 before the 29 Feb deadline.

You should first check to see if your energy supplier is signed up to the scheme. The following suppliers are offering the discount:

• British Gas
• EDF
• E.ON/E.ON Next
• Ovo/Boost
• Sainsbury’s Energy
• So Energy
• Utility Warehouse

But Octopus Energy, Scottish Power, Shell Energy and Utility have already closed their applications for the warm home discount.

The money won’t be paid into your bank account. Instead, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by 31 March. And if you’re on pre-pay or pay-as-you-go, you’ll be sent a voucher to top up your meter.

You might be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity, but you’ll need to contact them directly to ask.