Government support to help you keep your home warm this winter
As the temperatures start to go down and the energy bills go up, you might feel like you can’t afford to put the heating on.
At the end of 2023, Ofgem announced the energy price cap would be going up in January, with this new cap lasting until March. This means you could be paying more for gas and electricity during some of the coldest months of the year, which might put you off keeping the heating on.
If that’s you, there is support available for people claiming benefits or who have reached a certain age.
In 2022, over a million people in the UK are estimated to have missed out on cold weather support from the government, designed to help low-income families keep their homes warm through the winter.
Don’t miss out on the support that’s there for you. Read on for the different ways you can get support from the government to heat your home this winter, along with who is eligible, how much you can get and how you can apply.
The different types of government support available this winter
There are three schemes available to help you keep the heating on this winter:
- Winter Fuel Payment
- Warn Home Discount Scheme
- Cold Weather Payment
There's also a fourth scheme, the Affordable Warm Scheme, which is exclusive to Northern Ireland and designed to help you prepare your home for cold weather.
| Winter Fuel Payment | Cold Weather Payment | Warm Home Discount Scheme | Affordable Warmth Scheme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who can get it? | Anyone born before 25 September 1957, with some exceptions. | Anyone receiving certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. | Anyone who receives the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
Anyone on a low income who fulfils specific criteria (see below). |
Anyone in Northern Ireland who either:
There are some exceptions to this rule. |
| How much do you get? | Anywhere from £250 and £600, depending on a number of factors. | £25 for each seven-day period where the average temperature in your area drops to zero celsius or below. | £150 off your gas or electricity bill, directly applied to your bill. | A grant of up to £7,500, with some applicants getting up to £10,000. |
| How do you apply? | Most should receive it automatically, but some might need to make a claim. | You should receive it automatically, but you might have to notify Jobcentre Plus if there are children under five in your household. | You should get the discount automatically, with some exceptions. | You can apply by getting in touch with the Northern Ireland Energy Advice service through phone or e-mail. |
| When do you get it? | Anytime between November and 26 January. | Between 1 November 2023 and 31 March 2024. | Anytime between early October 2023 and 31 March 2024. | You can apply at any time and you'll receive your grant once any recommended construction is finished. |
Please be aware, there are a few rules and exceptions and the schemes differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Winter Fuel Payment
Who can get the Winter Fuel Payment?
The Winter Fuel Payment is for anyone in the UK born before 25 September 1957, unless: .
- you’ve been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- you need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says you can’t claim public funds, or
- you were in prison for the whole week of 18 to 24 September 2023.
You should get the payment automatically, paid into the bank account you’re using to receive other benefits, but you might need to make a claim if:
- you’ve never received the Winter Fuel Payment before, or
- you’ve deferred your State Pension since you last received a Winter Fuel Payment.
You can claim your Winter Fuel Payment by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160 or by filling out their web form.
How much is the Winter Fuel Payment?
How much you can get in your Winter Fuel Payment depends on a few factors and it can get a bit complicated!
Most people who are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment will have received a letter before the end of November 2023 letting them know how much they’re going to receive.
Any money you receive is tax-free and won’t affect other benefits.
If you live alone or no-one living with you is eligible
You’ll get:
- £500 if you were born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957
- £600 if you were born before 25 September 1943.
If you live with someone else who’s eligible
If you’re living with someone else who’s also eligible to receive the Winter Fuel Payment, how much you get will depend on the benefits that you and the person you live with claim and both your ages.
Generally speaking, the older you are and the more benefits you’re already entitled to, the higher your payment is likely to be.
If you live in a care home
If you’re eligible, you’ll get either:
- £250 if you were born between 25 September 1943 and 24 September 1957, or
- £300 if you were born before 25 September 1943.
When will you get the Winter Fuel Payment?
You should get a letter in the post letting you know how much you’ll get and which bank account it’ll be paid into, which should be the same bank account where you receive your State Pension and other benefits.
You should get your Winter Fuel Payment between November and December 2023. If you haven’t received a letter or your money by 26 January 2024, you should get in touch with the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
Cold Weather Payment
Who can get the Cold Weather Payment?
The Cold Weather Payment is paid to people receiving Pension Credit if the temperature in their area drops to zero degrees celsius or below for at least seven days in a row between 1 November 2023 and 31 March 2024.
This payment is available for people living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it’s been replaced by the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland.
Some other benefits make you eligible for this payment, but only if you meet certain other conditions. You can find the full list of benefits, as well as the conditions you have to meet to qualify, on the Cold Weather Payment page on the government website.
If you live in Scotland
The Winter Heating Payment has replaced the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland. Unlike the Cold Weather Payment, this scheme doesn’t take into account the temperature in your area.
This payment is available for anyone claiming Pension Credit, as well as anyone who claims specific benefits and meets a few other conditions.
How much is the Cold Weather Payment?
You’ll get £25 for every seven days in a row where the temperature in your area is zero degrees celsius or lower.
If you live in Scotland
The Winter Heating Payment is paid once a year, as a one-off payment of £55.05.
When will you get the Cold Weather Payment?
If temperatures in your area drop to zero degrees or below for at least seven days in a row, you should get a payment within 14 working days of that happening.
You can check if any payments are due in your area of England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
If you haven’t received a Cold Weather Payment but you think you might be eligible, you should get in touch with the Pension Service (if you’re claiming Pension Credit) or Jobcentre Plus (if you’re claiming any of the other benefits).
If you live in Scotland
Your one-time Winter Heating Payment should be paid sometime between the middle of December 2023 and end of January 2024.
You’ll get a letter from Social Security Scotland to let you know when your payment is on its way.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Who’s eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
If you receive benefits, you may be eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This depends on where you live and which benefits you’re claiming.
You should also get the Warm Home Discount if you or your partner get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, as long as you meet a few conditions.
For a full list of the qualifying means-tested benefits and to check if you’re eligible, have a look at the government website.
You can use the Warm Home Discount Scheme eligibility checker to make sure you’re not missing out.
If you live in England or Wales
You’ll qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you met a few conditions on 13 August 2023:
- your energy supplier was part of the scheme
- you or your partner were claiming means-tested benefits or tax credits
- your property has a high-energy-cost score
- your name or your partner’s is on the electricity bill.
You can also find out if your home has what the government considers a high-energy-cost score through the Warm Home Discount eligibility checking tool.
If you live in Scotland
You’ll quality for the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you either get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or if you meet a few conditions:
- your energy supplier is part of the scheme
- you or your partner get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits
- your name or your partner’s is on the electricity bill.
- Your electricity supplier could also have other requirements and they’ll let you know which benefits you must be claiming to be eligible.
How much do you get from the Warm Home Discount Scheme?
You should get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
This discount will be directly applied to your bill, so you won’t receive any money yourself, you’ll simply have lower bills. You might have to apply if you’re on a low income in Scotland.
If you get both gas and electricity from your supplier, you might be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead, but you’ll have to get in touch with your supplier to find out.
When will the Warm Home Discount be applied?
Your discount should be applied to your bill between October 2023 and 31 March 2024.
If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter by January 2024. If you think you might be eligible but you haven’t received a letter by then, you should let the government know before 29 February 2024.
Affordable Warmth Scheme
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is different from other types of government support. Rather than a payment you receive in your bank account or a discount on your electricity bill, this scheme lets you apply for funding to help you make changes to your home.
For that reason, if you live in Northern Ireland and you feel like this scheme could be right for you, we recommend having a look at the Affordable Warmth Scheme website.
Who can apply for the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is only available in Northern Ireland. You can apply for this scheme if you:
- own the property you live in, or
- rent from a private landlord and earn less than £23,000 a year.
This scheme isn’t available for people living in social housing or if you’re a Housing Executive or a tenant of a housing association. The property can’t be a holiday home, a bed and breakfast or a business.
How much can you get under the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
After you apply for the grant, someone will come to check your home. You’ll then be told what kind of work you need to do and what your priorities should be. You’ll also be told how much money you can get under the scheme.
You could get up to £7,500 through the Affordable Warmth Scheme, with some homes being eligible for grants of up to £10,000 if they need special insulation.
When will you receive your Affordable Warmth Scheme money?
You can apply for an Affordable Warmth Scheme grant at any time. You'll receive your grant once the recommended construction work has been completed.
Keeping warm this winter
We hope that all our members are able to stay warm this winter. But if that isn’t the case, take a look at our Money Worries page and please get in touch to find out how we can support you.
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