More Scottish households to get £150 energy bill discount automatically this winter
The Warm Home Discount scheme will continue until 2031 with changes to the Scottish system starting this year.
The Warm Home Discount scheme will continue until 2031 and changes to the system will see thousands more Scottish households receive payments without needing to apply.
More than 200,000 additional households in Scotland are set to receive the £150 energy rebate on electricity bills this winter after the UK Government confirmed major changes to the Warm Home Discount scheme. The support scheme will now continue until at least March 2031 under new regulations approved by Parliament.
Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh confirmed changes to how the scheme operates in Scotland, with many more people expected to receive the payment automatically rather than having to apply directly through their energy supplier.
The UK Government said an estimated 345,000 Scottish households are expected to receive the Warm Home Discount automatically from winter 2026/27.
That is around 250,000 more households than under the previous system.
Overall, around 560,000 rebates are expected to be issued across Scotland each winter under the revised scheme.
The Warm Home Discount helps low-income households and pensioners with energy costs during colder months, when bills are often at their highest.
People receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit usually qualify automatically, while some households on other means-tested benefits may also be eligible depending on income, energy costs and property information.
In England and Wales, many eligible households already receive the rebate automatically through a data-matching system administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
However, Scotland previously operated under a different model which often required people to apply directly through participating energy suppliers, with places sometimes limited.
Consumer groups have long argued the application process created confusion and meant some eligible households missed out on support.
The UK Government said the new arrangements are designed to simplify the process and make sure more households receive help automatically.
The Energy Minister said: "We are extending the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2031, giving families certainty that support will continue to be there every winter.
"These changes mean hundreds of thousands more families in Scotland will get help automatically with their energy bills."
The £150 rebate is normally applied directly to electricity bills between October and March and does not need to be repaid.
The new regulations also include powers to issue late Warm Home Discount rebates where eligible households missed out previously because of administrative mistakes.
The UK Government said households that qualify automatically should receive a letter confirming their eligibility during the winter payment period.
People who believe they qualify but do not receive confirmation may still need to contact the Warm Home Discount helpline or their energy supplier.
Full details on the Warm Home Discount Scheme can be found on GOV.UK.
