Millions face higher energy bills as warm home discount deadline approaches
Millions of households face higher energy bills from October, with the warm home discount deadline on Sunday.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Millions of households are being urged to check their eligibility for the warm home discount before Sunday, as energy bills are expected to rise again this winter. The regulator is due to confirm the exact increase next week, but forecasts suggest a 4% rise in the price cap from October, which would take it to its highest level in three years.
The warm home discount is a government-regulated scheme, paid by suppliers, which knocks £150 off a typical electricity bill. Households in England and Wales claiming certain benefits, including universal credit and pension credit, are eligible. Payment is automatic between October and March, but the person receiving the benefit must be named on the electricity bill. Sunday is the deadline for suppliers to check their records, so anyone who thinks they qualify but is not named on the bill should contact their supplier immediately. Some suppliers may also apply the discount to gas if they provide both. The scheme operates differently in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with separate arrangements in place.
With the predicted rise in the price cap, energy experts are advising consumers to compare tariffs and consider fixing deals. One expert noted that many households are on standard variable tariffs, which will go up in October, and fixing now could lock in lower rates for the duration of the contract. The government has said that measures taken in the last budget, including the removal of VAT on electricity, will keep bills lower than they otherwise would have been, and it wants as many people as possible to claim the help they are entitled to.
Full details of the scheme are available on the government website and the BBC News website.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Energy price cap is predicted to rise 4% from October, reaching the highest level in three years. | |
| Suppliers have until Sunday to check records for the warm home discount. | |
| Warm home discount provides £150 off a typical electricity bill. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on practical consumer advice, with a detailed explanation of the warm home discount scheme, eligibility criteria, and the upcoming deadline. It also highlighted the predicted price cap rise and gave tips on switching tariffs. The tone was informative and service-oriented, aiming to help viewers take action before Sunday.
- “The key is if you get a qualifying benefit, make sure you're named on the electricity bill by Sunday.”
- “It's really worth, if you've not sort of engaged with energy in a while or sort of switched energy or spoken to a supplier, run an energy comparison and see what tariff you're on”
- “This all matters because the current prediction is for the energy price cap to rise again from October to this level.”
Broadcast Timeline
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