UK energy · September 2026
Warm Home Discount, ECO4 and local grants: winter heating support in 2026/27
Last updated: 27 September 2026.
Key points
The quarterly energy price cap sets maximum standard variable unit rates and standing charges. These support schemes sit alongside it, not instead of it: Ofgem energy price cap from 1 October 2026. Fixed deals are outside the cap; grants and discounts do not change contracted unit rates: fixed-rate energy tariffs.
Three schemes at a glance
Warm Home Discount is not ECO4. ECO4 is not a council Local Grant. Do not blur cash/bill help with home upgrades.
| Warm Home Discount (WHD) | ECO4 | Warm Homes: Local Grant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | One-off bill discount on electricity (winter 2026/27) | Energy Company Obligation — supplier-funded insulation / heating upgrades | England local delivery route for surveys and upgrades when funding is available; plus separate council hardship funds |
| Amount / type | £150 one-off off the electricity bill — bill credit, not cash in hand. On dual-fuel with the same supplier it can sometimes go on gas (supplier question) | Physical measures in the home (not a cash payment). Not a guaranteed free boiler | Council survey; may fund insulation, heat pumps, smart controls or solar if agreed and funding left. Landlord may need to contribute for some measures |
| Who / where |
Participating suppliers + government data-match. England & Wales (on 23 Aug 2026): participating supplier; you or partner on a qualifying means-tested benefit; name on the electricity bill. Benefits: Universal Credit; Housing Benefit; income-related ESA; Pension Credit. Scotland: Core Group usually automatic; Broader Group may apply to the supplier. Northern Ireland: WHD not available — Affordable Warmth is the local scheme. |
Obligated medium/large suppliers / installers; GB delivery. Private housing + listed benefits (GOV.UK examples: UC; Pension Guarantee/Savings Credit; Income Support; income-based JSA; income-related ESA; Child Benefit; Housing Benefit). EPC: owner-occupier typically D–G; private rent E–G (+ landlord permission). ECO4 Flex: councils / devolved admins can refer some households not on listed benefits (e.g. income under £31,000 or cold-home health conditions — Ofgem). |
England only for Warm Homes: Local Grant. Private housing (owner or private landlord); EPC D–G; usually household income ≤ £36,000/year, or benefits / certain postcodes. Council must have funding. Eligibility alone is not a guarantee of work. Scotland / Wales / NI: separate national programmes — not this England route. |
| Dates 2026/27 | Qualifying date 23 August 2026; scheme reopens October 2026 (closed for last year) | Runs to 31 December 2026 (nine-month extension). No successor obligation announced. Capacity may be tight near the end | Live England route at the time of writing. Check the council for current funding windows |
| Who runs it | Participating energy suppliers + government data-match | Obligated suppliers / installers | Local councils (England for Warm Homes: Local Grant) |
| Cash / bill help? | Yes (£150 credit) | No | No (upgrades); separate council hardship funds may offer short-term bill help |
| Home upgrades? | No | Yes | Yes (England), if eligible and funding left |
WHD does not affect Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. Prepayment / PAYG customers can still be eligible for WHD; the supplier explains how (e.g. a voucher). Park homes have a separate Park Homes Warm Home Discount route.
These schemes sit alongside the quarterly price cap, not instead of it — Ofgem energy price cap from 1 October 2026. Fixed deals are outside the cap — fixed-rate energy tariffs.
Warm Home Discount 2026/27
Amount: £150 one-off off the electricity bill. The supplier applies it.
It is not paid to you as cash. On dual-fuel with the same supplier it can sometimes go on gas — that is a supplier question, not advice.
It does not affect Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. Prepayment / PAYG customers can still be eligible; the supplier explains how (for example a voucher). Park homes have a separate Park Homes Warm Home Discount route.
Timing (GOV.UK): Scheme closed for last year; reopens October 2026. Qualifying date: 23 August 2026.
England and Wales — all of these must apply on 23 August 2026:
- Energy supplier is part of the scheme
- You or your partner get a qualifying means-tested benefit
- Your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill
Qualifying benefits (England and Wales): Universal Credit; Housing Benefit; income-related ESA; Pension Credit.
Scotland: Core Group usually gets the discount automatically (Pension Credit; certain Universal Credit disability / premiums; child under 5 plus listed benefits — see GOV.UK Scotland). Broader Group may need to apply to the supplier; the supplier may add criteria. Helpline and letters are typically mid-autumn (supplier blogs are secondary).
Northern Ireland: Warm Home Discount is not available. Affordable Warmth is the separate route.
How to check (neutral): Read the GOV.UK Warm Home Discount pages for your nation. Wait for a government letter if you are in the Core Group.
Contact your own supplier only. Do not treat this page as a reason to change supplier.
ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation)
ECO4 is an obligation on medium and large suppliers to fund measures that cut heating costs for low-income, fuel-poor or vulnerable households — typically insulation and heating upgrades. It is not a cash payment.
End date: 31 December 2026 (nine-month extension). The government response: no successor obligation.
Near the end, capacity can be limited. This is “may still be available / check your council or the Ofgem list”, not a guaranteed free boiler.
GOV.UK private housing + benefits (examples): Universal Credit; Pension Guarantee or Savings Credit; Income Support; income-based JSA; income-related ESA; Child Benefit; Housing Benefit.
EPC: Owner-occupier typically D–G; private rent E–G (plus landlord permission). Social housing often E–G for insulation or first-time heating.
ECO4 Flex: Councils and devolved administrations can refer low-income or vulnerable households not on the listed benefits (for example income under £31,000 or cold-home health conditions — Ofgem homeowners page).
How to check: Ask the local council whether they take part or run Flex; or use the Ofgem list of obligated suppliers.
GOV.UK has flagged solid-wall insulation quality issues — check any approach with the council or supplier. Cold-call installers are a common scam pattern.
Warm Homes: Local Grant and other local help
Warm Homes: Local Grant (England only — GOV.UK):
- Private housing (owner or private landlord)
- EPC D, E, F or G
- Usually household income £36,000 a year or less, or benefits / certain postcodes
- Council arranges a survey; may fund insulation, heat pumps, smart controls or solar if agreed and funding is available
- Landlord may need to contribute for some measures
- Assisted digital helpline on GOV.UK: 0800 098 7950
The council must have funding. Eligibility alone is not a guarantee of work.
Closed schemes:
These are closed to new applications.
| Scheme | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 (HUG2) | Closed | Off-gas England; funding to March 2025 |
| Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) | Closed | Ended 31 March 2026 |
The live England local upgrade route in Table 1 is Warm Homes: Local Grant, subject to council funding. Other council cost-of-living / hardship / discretionary funds vary by area — check the council’s website.
Other local help: Council cost-of-living, hardship or discretionary funds vary by area — check the council’s website. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate national programmes — use the GOV.UK nation links rather than treating the England Local Grant as UK-wide.
How they differ
Warm Home Discount is bill credit. ECO4 and Warm Homes: Local Grant are upgrade routes (with different eligibility and delivery).
Winter Fuel Payment is a separate age-based payment — see the short aside below. This is not a league table of schemes.
Winter Fuel Payment (short aside only)
Winter Fuel Payment is age-based (£100–£300). It is not the same as Warm Home Discount. Born on or before 27 June 1960 for the current framing on GOV.UK.
Income over £35,000 may be clawed back by HMRC; a partner’s income does not count for that reclaim. Scotland: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead. This page does not rewrite Winter Fuel Payment in full.
The catch
Common traps
Informational checklist only. These rows do not score schemes or urge anyone to claim.
| Trap | What it means |
|---|---|
| Cold-call / scam installers | Unsolicited calls offering “free boilers” or ECO upgrades are a common scam pattern. Verify any approach with the local council or your own energy supplier. GOV.UK has also flagged solid-wall insulation quality issues. |
| Treating credit as cash | Warm Home Discount £150 is applied by the supplier as a bill credit. It is not cash in hand. |
| Blurring the three tools | A bill discount (WHD), supplier-funded upgrades (ECO4), and council Local Grant surveys are different eligibility paths. Meeting one does not mean the others apply. |
| Presenting closed schemes as open | HUG2 and GBIS are closed. Do not cite them as current routes. |
| Assuming ECO4 is guaranteed | ECO4 ends 31 December 2026; no successor obligation announced. Near the end, capacity can be limited. “May still be available / check council or Ofgem list” — not a guarantee. |
| England rules as UK-wide | Warm Homes: Local Grant is England-only. Scotland / Wales / NI have separate programmes. WHD is not available in Northern Ireland. |
| Using this page to pick a supplier | WHD needs a participating supplier. That is a published fact only — not a reason to switch. Contact your own supplier; do not treat this page as supplier advice. |
Eligibility depends on benefits, income, property, supplier participation and local funding. Check GOV.UK and your local council for the rules that apply to you. This is general information, not personal advice.
Paying energy bills from a current account: banking. Household budgeting tools: UK budgeting apps.
Important things to know
- Warm Home Discount 2026/27 = £150 bill credit; reopens October 2026; qualifying date 23 August 2026.
- Credit is not cash in hand.
- ECO4 runs to 31 December 2026; no successor obligation announced; capacity may be tight.
- Warm Homes: Local Grant is the live England local upgrade route; HUG2 and GBIS are closed.
- The three schemes are separate and work differently.
- No scheme guarantees a free boiler.
Winter heating support: FAQs
What winter heating support is available in 2026/27?
Three distinct tools are covered here: Warm Home Discount (a £150 electricity bill credit), ECO4 (supplier-funded insulation and heating upgrades to 31 December 2026), and Warm Homes: Local Grant plus other council help in England. They are not the same scheme. This page is general information, not advice to claim.
What is the Warm Home Discount 2026/27 amount?
£150 as a one-off off the electricity bill for winter 2026/27. The supplier applies it. Qualifying date for England and Wales rules is 23 August 2026. The scheme reopens October 2026 per GOV.UK.
Is Warm Home Discount cash in hand?
No. It is a bill credit applied by the participating energy supplier. It is not paid to you as cash. On dual-fuel with the same supplier it can sometimes go on gas — that is a supplier question, not advice.
When does Warm Home Discount reopen for 2026/27?
GOV.UK: the scheme closed for last year and reopens October 2026. Qualifying date: 23 August 2026. Core Group letters and Scotland helpline timing are typically mid-autumn. Check GOV.UK for your nation.
What is ECO4 and when does it end?
ECO4 is an Energy Company Obligation on medium and large suppliers to fund measures that cut heating costs for low-income, fuel-poor or vulnerable households. It ends 31 December 2026. No successor obligation has been announced. Capacity can be limited near the end.
What is Warm Homes: Local Grant?
An England-only route where the council arranges a survey and may fund insulation, heat pumps, smart controls or solar if you are eligible and funding is available. Eligibility alone is not a guarantee of work. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate programmes.
Are HUG Phase 2 and GBIS still open?
No. Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 is closed. The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) ended 31 March 2026. Do not present them as open.
Is Warm Home Discount available in Northern Ireland?
No. Warm Home Discount is not available in Northern Ireland. Affordable Warmth is the separate local scheme there.
How does winter heating support relate to the energy price cap?
The quarterly energy price cap sets maximum standard variable unit rates and standing charges. These support schemes sit alongside it, not instead of it. See the Ofgem energy price cap from 1 October 2026 page.
Does a grant change fixed-rate energy tariff unit rates?
No. Fixed deals sit outside the quarterly cap. Grants and discounts do not change contracted unit rates. See fixed-rate energy tariffs.
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