Miatta Fahnbulleh has told households on means-tested benefits to check that their name appears on their energy bill by 23 August to qualify for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter. The reminder, issued on 31 July 2026, matters now because suppliers will use customer records on Sunday 23 August to decide who gets the rebate.
Around six million households across Britain are expected to receive the discount this winter. In England and Wales, that includes people getting Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit and Universal Credit. Fahnbulleh said the latest energy bill cut plan sits alongside wider help already under way.
Miatta Fahnbulleh on winter bills
Fahnbulleh said families are concerned about energy bills this winter and urged people to spread the word. She said the government's focus is on providing breathing space while working to reduce bills, and said almost a million more families with children received the PS150 discount last winter after the scheme was expanded.
The scheme was expanded last year, and the government said nearly a million additional families with children received extra support last winter. The reminder also covers the fact that some households may be missed if they have recently moved house, because their name may no longer match the bill record suppliers hold.
Scotland and customer records
About 250,000 households in Scotland will get the rebate automatically for the first time. For many others, the practical test is whether the name on the energy bill matches the account suppliers can see when they check customer records.
That point matters most for customers using pre-payment meters with a key or card, who need the account registered in their own name. Fahnbulleh said the government's focus remains on giving families breathing space while working to reduce bills, while another energy bill proposal has already drawn attention to the scale of household costs.
Warm Home Discount through 2030/1
The government said earlier this year that eligible households will receive the Warm Home Discount through 2030/1. Last year's Budget has taken an average of £150 off energy bills, and the current reminder means affected households have only until 23 August to make sure their details line up with the records suppliers will use.
For readers who receive a qualifying benefit, the next step is simple: check the bill name now, before suppliers rely on the 23 August records. If the account is not in the right name, the £150 rebate may not follow automatically this winter.
