Warm Home Discount 2026: check your electricity bill name before 23 August

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 credit on an eligible household's energy account. It is not a cash payment, a tariff discount or an Octopus-only offer.

The Government says electricity suppliers will use their customer records as they stand on 23 August 2026. A recent move, a bill held only in another household member's name or an incorrectly registered prepayment account could stop the records matching automatically.

What to check before 23 August

• Open your latest electricity bill or statement.
• Check that you or your partner is named on the bill and that the supply address is correct.
• If you have recently moved or switched, check which supplier holds the account and whether its records are up to date.
• If you use a traditional key or card prepayment meter, make sure the household account is registered in your name.
• Keep the updated bill or supplier confirmation in case you need to show when the account record changed.

Octopus Energy is on the Government's participating-supplier list for winter 2026 to 2027. If the relevant name is missing from your bill, contact Octopus before the deadline and ask what evidence it needs to correct the electricity account. Do not wait for the autumn letter before fixing an obvious account-name problem.

England and Wales: the automatic core group

In England and Wales, you may be eligible if all three conditions apply on 23 August: the supplier participates, you or your partner receives a qualifying means-tested benefit and your name or your partner's name is on the electricity bill.

The current qualifying-benefit list is Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit. If the records match, you do not normally apply to the supplier. The supplier applies the credit to the bill.

Scotland has a different process

Scotland also uses the 23 August bill-name, benefit and participating-supplier checks, but it has two routes. Some households are in the core group and receive the discount automatically. Other low-income households are in the broader group and need to apply directly to their electricity supplier.

Broader-group criteria can differ by supplier. Check the current GOV.UK Scotland rules and the supplier's winter 2026 to 2027 guidance rather than relying on an application or date from last winter.

If you use prepayment

Traditional key or card prepayment customers can qualify. The Government's 31 July reminder specifically tells eligible households to make sure the account is registered in their name.

How the discount arrives can depend on the supplier and meter setup. Ofgem says it may be applied as account credit or sent as a voucher or cheque. Keep your contact details current and read any voucher instructions carefully. The Government and Ofgem say you will not be asked for bank details to receive the Warm Home Discount.

What if you move or switch supplier?

For the automatic core group, Ofgem says the electricity supplier you were with on the qualifying date is responsible for the discount if you were eligible. Moving to a participating supplier after that date does not create eligibility for that scheme year if the previous supplier did not take part.

For Scotland's broader group, check the new supplier's participation and eligibility rules before changing. Ofgem advises waiting until an approved broader-group discount has been received before switching.

When should the £150 appear?

The scheme is closed now and is due to reopen in October 2026. Eligible core-group households should normally receive a Government letter between November and December. It will say whether the discount should be applied automatically or whether more information is needed.

Participating suppliers generally need to provide the discount by 31 March 2027. If you think you qualify but do not receive the expected letter or credit, use the current GOV.UK scheme page and contact details rather than an old application route.

The practical next step

Check your latest electricity bill or online account before 23 August. Fixing the account name and address now is more useful than waiting until winter and trying to reconstruct which supplier held which record.