Are you missing out on help with your winter energy bills?

As temperatures drop, keeping your home warm can put more pressure on your household budget. But you could be entitled to help with your energy bills without even realising it. From discounts on your electricity bill to payments for cold weather and grants to clear energy debt, there are several ways to reduce what you’re paying.

We look at what’s available, who qualifies and how to make sure you’re not missing out.

Warm Home Discount: Could you get £150 off your bill?

The Warm Home Discount gives eligible households £150 off their energy bill. You don’t receive the money directly into your bank account. Instead, your energy supplier applies the discount to your bill or provides credit for your prepayment meter.

In England and Wales, you could qualify if you receive certain means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance. You’ll also need to have been with a participating electricity supplier on 23 August 2026, with your name, or your eligible partner’s name, on the account. 

Most eligible households receive the discount automatically, so you shouldn’t need to apply. If you’re eligible, you should receive a letter explaining your discount or asking you to confirm some details. The discount should normally reach you by 31 March 2027.

What about Scotland? You can also qualify for the £150 discount, but different rules apply. Some households receive it automatically, while others need to apply directly to their supplier. Check your supplier’s criteria and apply early, as places in the application based scheme can be limited.

You can  check your eligibility for the Warm Home Discount on GOV.UK.

Winter Fuel Payment: Are you entitled to up to £300?

If you’ve reached State Pension age, you could receive between £100 and £300 towards your winter heating costs. For winter 2026-27, you could qualify if you were born on or before 27 June 1960 and normally live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Most eligible people receive the payment automatically in November or December. You should receive a letter confirming how much you’ll get. There’s an important income rule to be aware of, if your annual income is over £35,000, HMRC will recover your Winter Fuel Payment. Your partner’s income doesn’t count towards your individual threshold.

If you haven’t received your payment or a letter by 27 January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. You may need to make a claim if you haven’t received the payment before or you’ve deferred your State Pension. The deadline for winter 2026-27 is 31 March 2027.

If you live in Scotland, check whether you qualify for the separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.

Find out more about  Winter Fuel Payments and how to claim.

Cold Weather Payments: Extra help when temperatures fall

If you receive certain benefits and temperatures drop particularly low, you could qualify for a Cold Weather Payment. You’ll receive £25 for each seven day period when the average temperature in your area is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below. The scheme runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You may qualify if you receive Pension Credit or certain other benefits, depending on your circumstances. Payments are automatic and should arrive within 14 working days of a qualifying cold spell.

You can  check whether your area is due a Cold Weather Payment.

If you live in Scotland, the Winter Heating Payment operates differently. You don’t need a prolonged period of freezing weather to qualify.

Energy supplier hardship funds: Could you get help clearing your debt?

You don’t necessarily need to receive benefits to get financial help with your energy bills. Some energy suppliers offer hardship funds and grants to customers struggling with energy costs. Depending on the scheme, you might get help towards outstanding debt, current bills or energy saving home improvements.

The amount available and eligibility rules do vary and your supplier might ask about your income, spending and existing debts before deciding what support it can offer.

But, don’t wait until you’ve missed several payments. Contact your supplier as soon as you’re worried about paying your bill and ask what grants or hardship support it offers. You can also ask whether there are other schemes you could qualify for, even if your supplier doesn’t run its own hardship fund.

Falling behind on your energy bills? You have options

When you’re struggling to pay, ignoring your energy bill can make the problem harder to resolve. Your supplier must take your circumstances into account and work with you to agree an affordable repayment arrangement.

You can request it to:

• Review your direct debit or repayment amounts.
• Agree a payment plan based on what you can afford.
• Consider a payment break or temporary reduction.
• Check whether you qualify for grants or additional financial support.

If you’re using a prepayment meter and can’t afford to top up, ask about emergency or additional support credit. You may need to repay this later, but it could help you keep your energy supply running.

You can also ask to join the Priority Services Register if you need extra help because of your age, health, disability or other circumstances. Registration is free and can give you access to additional support, although it doesn’t automatically reduce your bill.

What if your supplier refuses to help?

You don’t have to accept an unaffordable repayment plan without challenging it. You can explain your financial circumstances, provide details of what you can reasonably pay and ask your supplier to reconsider.

If you’re unhappy with its response, make a formal complaint and keep copies of your bills, correspondence and any repayment proposals.

How Resolver can help

If your energy supplier has charged you incorrectly, failed to apply a discount or refused to consider your circumstances, you can use  Resolver to raise and manage your complaint.

You can keep your correspondence and evidence together, track your complaint and escalate it if your supplier doesn’t put things right.

The important thing is to check what you’re entitled to before winter bills put even more pressure on your budget. A few minutes checking your eligibility could help you save money, access support or avoid falling further into debt.

Further escalation steps

If your supplier hasn’t resolved your complaint within eight weeks, or sends you a deadlock letter sooner, you can take your complaint to the  Energy Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman can investigate whether your supplier has treated you fairly and followed its obligations.

Don’t overlook other help

You might also qualify for support through your local council or a benefits scheme you haven’t claimed. Check whether you’re entitled to Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits. These could increase your income and potentially unlock additional help with energy costs.

You can use a free benefits calculator through  Turn2us or  entitledto to see what you might be missing. If you’re already struggling with debt,  StepChange and  Citizens Advice can help you understand your options without charging for advice.

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or any other consumer issues you would like us to cover, feel free to get in touch with us at support@resolver.co.uk 

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