DWP points replace on £150 fee that may very well be expanded to thousands and thousands on Universal Credit

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a statement on the future of the Warm Home Discount, which is worth £150, in the House of Lords this week

The Department for Work and Pensions has clarified rumours around the possibility of extending a £150 benefit to millions on Universal Credit. Lords were briefed this week on the future of the Warm Home Discount, currently valued at £150.

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering, a Tory Life peer, probed in the Lords “to ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the level of the Warm Homes Discount.”

In response, Labour Life peer Lord Hunt of Kings Heath declared: “There are currently no plans to review the Warm Home Discount rebate value, and this will remain at £150 for the remainder of the scheme.

“We have recently published a consultation on expanding the Warm Home Discount Scheme for next winter, where we propose to remove the high cost to heat threshold, making all those on means tested benefits eligible for the scheme.

“These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million.

“We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.”, reports Birmingham Live.

A previous consultation laid out plans to broaden the scope of the Warm Home Discount Scheme by ditching the high-cost-to-heat threshold in the existing Warm Home Discount Regulations and boosting the funds available in Scotland for suppliers to distribute through the Broader Group.

All households receiving means-tested benefits would qualify for the £150 rebate under this proposal. It also suggests expanding the Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme to include individuals who don’t have a direct relationship with an energy supplier, while keeping the existing budget intact.

The consultation invites feedback from consumers, consumer advocacy groups, charities, recipients of the Warm Home Discount, and obligated energy suppliers.

The news comes as it was revealed that people who live near new pylons will get hundreds of pounds off their annual energy bills under plans to boost support for building infrastructure.

The Government has set out plans for households living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power systems such as pylons to get access to a bill discount scheme giving them up to £2,500 on bills over 10 years – equivalent to an annual payment of £250.

The scheme is expected to be in place from 2026 and apply to new onshore, above-ground transmission cables and substations, as well as some major upgrades. Developers will also be urged to fund projects like sports clubs, educational programmes or leisure facilities as part of efforts to reward communities that host new infrastructure.

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