With the winter season in full swing, more households are seeking to manage the financial strain of heating costs during the colder months. The government-backed Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme offers a £150 reduction to electricity bills for low-income eligible households.
The WHD contributes to reducing fuel poverty, which not only ensures the warmth of households but also impacts local economies by helping to sustain consumer spending as companies face operation expenses such as business gas prices and energy costs. The WHD scheme raises awareness of energy changes affecting domestic and business energy consumption.
We highlight the areas benefiting from the WHD by examining several factors, including the number of households receiving the WHD and the value of monetary rebates across the UK.
Uptake has Soared 58.5% in Barking and Dagenham
1. Barking and Dagenham – Year-on-year change of 58.5%
Barking and Dagenham is the local authority that had the highest year-on-year increase in households benefiting from the WHD scheme, with a 58.5% growth. In the financial year of 2022-2023, the borough’s total value of rebates was £900,000; by 2023-2024, this figure jumped to £1.5 million, indicating a significant increase in the number of households benefiting from the scheme.
2. Stevenage – Year-on-year change of 57.3%
Stevenage ranks second, with the amount of households receiving the Warm Home Discount increasing by more than half (57%). Between 2022 and 2023, approximately 2,143 households benefited from the scheme. This increased to 3,371 in the 2023-2024 financial year. This growth reflects an increased commitment to helping residents reduce the cost of their energy bills over the winter.
3. Welwyn Hatfield – Year-on-year change of 55.7%
With an increase of over half (55.7%) in the number of households participating in the Warm Home Discount scheme, Welwyn Hatfield completes the top three. The local authority recorded £500,000 in the value of rebates between 2023-2024 — a generous increase of £200,000 from its previous financial year.
Yorkshire and the Humber is the UK region with the most significant yearly increase in Warm Home Discount Scheme uptake
Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the highest growth in households receiving the WHD, going from 261,631 between 2022-2023 to 351,611 by 2023-2024 — a 34.4% increase. As a result, the region has also seen a significant rise in the value of rebates, which was £39.2 million the previous financial year but rose to £52.7 million in the 2023 financial year.
The West Midlands is next on this list, with a yearly increase in households receiving the WHD of almost a third (30.1%), while the East of England follows closely behind in third place. The East of England saw a 30% increase in the proportion of households receiving the WHD, helping reduce the winter energy costs in more homes.