Applications for the £150 Warm Home Discount have started opening for households in Scotland as energy suppliers launch their schemes for winter 2026/27. British Gas, which includes Scottish Gas, and So Energy are already accepting applications from eligible Scottish customers through the Broader Group of the scheme.
Other participating suppliers are expected to open applications over the coming weeks, meaning households who believe they qualify should check the arrangements with their own energy company.
Scheme details and supplier list
The Warm Home Discount provides a one-off £150 reduction on energy bills for eligible low-income households. The UK Government has confirmed the scheme will continue every winter until 2030/31.
The official GOV.UK list for winter 2026/27 includes 24 suppliers, among them British Gas, ScottishPower, Octopus Energy, OVO, EDF, E.ON Next, So Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse.
British Gas and So Energy applications now open
British Gas has confirmed its Broader Group application process for customers in Scotland is now open. The supplier is encouraging eligible customers to apply as soon as possible because places are limited. Successful applicants will have the £150 discount applied by March 31, 2027, with British Gas saying most customers should receive it before January.
Scottish Gas customers are covered by British Gas for the purposes of the Warm Home Discount scheme.
So Energy has also opened applications for its Scottish Broader Group. Customers can apply through their online account using the Warm Home Discount option. The supplier warns that there are a limited number of applications available each year and they are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Successful applicants will receive their £150 credit by March 31, 2027.
Eligibility for Scottish households
The rules in Scotland differ from those elsewhere in Great Britain. There is a Core Group for households meeting certain benefit conditions and a Broader Group for some other low-income households.
Ofgem says qualifying benefits for the Scottish Core Group include Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Support for Mortgage Interest, although additional conditions apply to some benefits.
Most eligible Core Group households should be identified through data matching rather than having to make an application.
Separate Broader Group applications remain available in Scotland. Ofgem says mandatory criteria suppliers must cover people receiving certain benefits including Adult Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
However, receiving one of these benefits does not necessarily mean someone will qualify. Broader Group eligibility criteria are set by individual suppliers and approved by Ofgem, so customers should check the rules used by their own energy company.
How the £150 discount is paid
The Warm Home Discount is not money paid directly into someone's bank account. It is paid to the energy supplier and applied to their energy account, usually electricity, although customers can ask for it to be applied to their gas account instead.
Prepayment customers receive credit towards future energy use, while some people may receive a voucher or cheque depending on their circumstances and supplier. In most cases suppliers must provide the discount by March 31, 2027.
People who are eligible through the Core Group should receive a UK Government letter confirming their entitlement. British Gas says letters for the 2026/27 scheme are expected to start being issued later this month.
Customers who do not qualify automatically but think they may be eligible through Scotland's Broader Group should check their supplier's website regularly as application windows open.
Participating energy suppliers
The UK Government's current list shows the Warm Home Discount will be offered this winter by: 100Green, Boost, British Gas, E, Ecotricity, EDF, EnergyCoop through Octopus Energy, E.ON Next, Fuse Energy, Good Energy, Home Energy, London Power, Octopus Energy, Outfox Energy, OVO, Sainsbury's Energy, Scottish Gas through British Gas, ScottishPower, So Energy, Square 1 Energy, TruEnergy, Tulo Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse.
The full list of energy suppliers and a complete guide to eligibility for this year's Warm Home Discount can be found on GOV.UK.
