Support for the cost of living crisis is being extended to help with rising bills this winter.
Sir Keir Starmer has announced an extension to support for rising bills (Image: Getty )
The Prime Minister has announced millions of households in Britain will be getting extended cost of living support to help with rising energy bills this winter. Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the Warm Home Discount energy bills scheme will start again in October to help around double the number of Brits it usually does.
It comes after the energy regulator Ofgem announced residential gas and electricity prices will rise by 2% in the same month after the watchdog increased the price cap. The hike means a typical British household will pay £1,755 a year on energy bills, up £35 on the current cap.
Under the Warm Home Discount discount £150 could be knocked off the price of heating bills one time only during the colder months. This usually happens between October and the end of January.
Households are looking at rising energy bills this winter (Image: Getty )
BirminghamLive reports millions more homes are eligible this year – so the cost of living boost may come as a welcome surprise.
Everyone who claims Universal Credit will now qualify for the WHD, along with people on certain other benefits like Housing Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Previously, only some of these households qualified. The Labour Government announced changes, claiming some were unfairly left out under the old system.
Low-income pensioners on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit will continue to receive the discount.
The PM said support would be extended this winter (Image: Getty )
In total, around six million households will now benefit from the Warm Home Discount, around double the usual amount.
The £150 discount is applied directly to bills, either through credit or a voucher depending how customers pay their bills.
Energy companies decide exactly when to do this.
Referencing the extension of the scheme at Prime Minister’s Questions recently, Keir Starmer said it would make a “big difference” to those on low incomes.
British Gas told its customers in an update: “If you qualify for the winter 2025/26 payment, you will have your one-off £150 discount applied between November 2025-March 31, 2026 at the latest, with most customers receiving their WHD before January 26.”
