Help with energy bills:
every scheme available in 2026
A plain-English guide to every scheme that can reduce your energy bill or fund home improvements. Find out which ones you qualify for and how to apply.
The main schemes for winter 2026/27 are the Warm Home Discount (£150 off your electricity bill, applied automatically in England and Wales if you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit), the Winter Fuel Payment (£200 to £300, paid automatically to pensioner households and reclaimed through tax where income is over £35,000), ECO4 (free insulation and heating for qualifying households, runs until December 2026), and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (£7,500 towards a heat pump, no income test). Suppliers' social tariffs and the council-run Household Support Fund sit alongside them.
Every scheme that can help with your energy bills
Warm Home Discount
A government-backed scheme providing £150 off your electricity bill between October 2026 and March 2027. Eligibility was widened for this winter: in England and Wales it is applied automatically if you receive Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA or Pension Credit, with no separate application. In Scotland, some households qualify automatically and others apply through their supplier. Prepayment customers usually receive it as a voucher.
ECO4 Scheme
Government-backed scheme funding free insulation, boilers, solar panels, heat pumps, and first-time central heating for households on qualifying benefits with an EPC rating of D or below. Worth up to £12,000 per home. Contact an accredited ECO4 installer for a free eligibility check. ECO4 runs until December 2026, with the government's Warm Homes Plan set to follow it; if you think you qualify under the current rules, get checked before the scheme closes.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
A £7,500 grant towards the cost of an air source or ground source heat pump. Unlike ECO4, there is no income test. Any homeowner can apply. The grant is deducted from the installer's quote, so you do not need to claim it separately. Runs until March 2028. Contact an accredited MCS installer to apply.
Winter Fuel Payment
An annual payment to help older people cover heating costs: usually £200 per household, or £300 where someone is over 80. The rules changed again for recent winters: it is now paid automatically to pensioner households, and then reclaimed through the tax system from individuals whose taxable income is over £35,000. Households on Pension Credit keep it in full, and claiming Pension Credit also unlocks the Warm Home Discount, so if you may be eligible it is worth applying.
Energy social tariff
Some energy suppliers offer a discounted rate to customers on benefits or low incomes. This is not a national scheme. Contact your supplier to ask whether they offer one and whether you qualify. See our full energy social tariff guide for details on eligibility and how to apply.
Household Support Fund
Distributed by local councils to help vulnerable households with food, clothing, and utility bills. You do not need to be on benefits to qualify. Eligibility varies as each council sets its own rules, and funding runs in rounds, so what is on offer changes through the year. Contact your local council directly to find out what help is available in your area right now.
How to get help with your energy bills
The starting point for most people is their energy supplier. Call or message your supplier and ask whether they offer a social tariff and whether you qualify. The Warm Home Discount is different this winter: in England and Wales it is applied automatically if you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit, so there is nothing to claim, though it is worth confirming your supplier has your details right.
For ECO4, the process starts with an accredited installer rather than your supplier. An installer will assess your home's EPC rating and your benefit status to determine eligibility, then manage the application on your behalf. Given ECO4 ends in December 2026, if you think you might qualify it is worth getting an eligibility check done sooner rather than later.
For the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, contact an MCS-accredited heat pump installer. The £7,500 grant is deducted from the quote automatically, so you do not need to apply separately. For Household Support Fund help, contact your local council directly by searching your council name and "Household Support Fund".
Beyond the support schemes, the fastest way to reduce your bill is to check whether you are on the best available tariff. See our energy tariff comparison to find out what is available.
Also worth checking: your tariff
Support schemes aside, switching to a cheaper tariff is often the biggest single saving available. Five minutes to compare.
Questions people ask
The main schemes for winter 2026/27 are the Warm Home Discount (£150 off electricity, automatic on qualifying means-tested benefits in England and Wales), the Winter Fuel Payment (£200 to £300, paid automatically to pensioner households and reclaimed through tax above £35,000 income), ECO4 (free home improvements until December 2026), the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (£7,500 towards a heat pump), the energy social tariff from suppliers, and the Household Support Fund from local councils.
Contact your energy supplier and ask about their social tariff. The Warm Home Discount is applied automatically in England and Wales if you receive a qualifying benefit. For ECO4, contact an accredited installer for a free eligibility check. For the Household Support Fund, contact your local council. For the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, contact an MCS-accredited heat pump installer.
It depends on the scheme. The Warm Home Discount is automatic in England and Wales for households on Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA or Pension Credit. The Winter Fuel Payment goes to pensioner households automatically, reclaimed through tax where income is over £35,000. ECO4 targets households on qualifying benefits with an EPC rating of D or below. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has no income test. The Household Support Fund varies by council.
Yes, if you qualify for ECO4. The scheme funds free insulation, boilers, solar panels, and heat pumps for households on qualifying benefits with an EPC rating of D or below. ECO4 ends December 2026, with the government's Warm Homes Plan set to follow it. Contact an accredited ECO4 installer for a free eligibility check as soon as possible.
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