British Gas to pay thousands of customers £150: who will receive one-off assistance.

According to The Sun: The energy company with 7 million customers will start paying a one-off assistance of £150 to thousands of its subscribers from November this year.

British Gas supports eligible customers through the Warm Home Discount program to reduce electricity costs this winter.

The company announced that the program for 2025/26 will start next month for core customers in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Meanwhile, the extended program in Scotland is already in operation.

British Gas confirmed that all eligible households will receive a discount from November 2025 to March 2026.

Many customers can expect the discount to appear on their bills by January 2026.

This year, the program has been expanded due to the removal of the 'hard-to-heat' rule in England and Wales.

This change allowed low-income families receiving certain benefits not to be required to live in energy-efficient homes to qualify for the Warm Home Discount.

As a result of the program's expansion, an additional 2.7 million households will be able to receive a £150 discount this year.

Among them are 900,000 families with children, raising the total number of qualified households to six million.

To receive the discount, one of seven benefits needed to be received on a specific date — August 24:

• Guaranteed credit under Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance, income-related
• Housing Benefit
• Universal Credit
• 'Savings Credit' within Pension Credit

If you did not receive any of these benefits by August 24, 2025, you will not be able to receive assistance.

However, even if you did not receive Pension Credit on the qualifying date, you have a chance to take action to receive additional funds later.

Your eligibility for certain benefits can be backdated.

For example, successful applications for Pension Credit may be considered up to three months back.

Applications for Universal Credit can be considered up to one month back.

Approximately 700,000 pensioners are eligible for Pension Credit but are not receiving it.

What is Pension Credit and how to apply?

Pension Credit increases your weekly income to £227.10 for single individuals or £346.60 for couples.

This is known as 'guaranteed credit'. If your income is below this amount, you are likely entitled to this assistance.

Even if your income is slightly higher, you may still qualify for Pension Credit if you have a disability, are a carer, have savings, or housing costs.

You can receive an additional £82.90 per week if you have a disability or receive any of the following:

• Attendance Allowance
• Middle or higher rate Care Component of Disability Living Allowance
• Daily Living Component of Personal Independence Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Daily Living Component of Disability Payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate.

You can receive part of the 'savings credit' of Pension Credit if you meet two conditions:

• You reached state pension age before April 6, 2016
• You have saved some amount for retirement, such as a personal or workplace pension

This part of Pension Credit is £17.30 for singles or £19.36 for couples.

Applications for Pension Credit also open access to various free services and discounts.

For example, applicants for Pension Credit over 75 years old are entitled to a free TV license worth up to £174.50 per year.

Applying for this assistance also entitles you to Cold Weather Payments of £25 per week and £150 for the heating benefit in homes.

You can apply for Pension Credit on the government website or by calling the helpline at 0800 99 1234.

Do I need to apply for the discount?

Households in England and Wales do not need to apply for the funds, as they will receive them automatically.

Watch for a letter that will arrive from October 2025 to early January 2026, which will contain information about:

• Your qualification and automatic discount; or
• Possible qualification, in which case additional information will need to be provided.
• The letter will also include information on what you need to call the helpline by February 27, 2026, to confirm your details.

If you have not received the letter by early January 2026 and believe you qualify for the discount, call the helpline at 0800 030 9322.

If you are eligible, your energy supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2026.

The Warm Home Discount is available regardless of your energy supplier.

If you reside in Scotland, you may need to apply for the Warm Home Discount.

In Scotland, there is a 'core group' that receives automatic payments and a 'wider group' that must apply for the program with their energy supplier.

Check with your energy supplier to find out the qualification requirements and application details.

The program has more applicants than places, so be sure to apply as soon as possible.

Customers of British Gas can apply by visiting the site .

How will I receive the discount from British Gas?

The discount will be applied to your electricity bill as a credit.

If you use Pay As You Go, British Gas will send you a voucher that you can use to top up your meter at the Post Office.

If you are a Pay As You Go smart meter customer, British Gas will send your £150 credit directly to your meter.

You will also receive an email confirmation of its addition.

If you are not a British Gas customer, be sure to check with your supplier how and when you will receive your discount.

What energy bill assistance is available?

There are several ways to get help with energy bills for those facing difficulties.

If you have debts, contact your supplier to see if they can offer a repayment plan before moving you to a prepaid meter.

This means you can pay off your debt in installments over a certain period.

If the proposed repayment plan seems unfeasible, contact the supplier again to discuss better terms.

Many energy companies have support programs for customers who are struggling to pay their bills.

However, qualification requirements vary by supplier, and the amount you can receive depends on your financial circumstances.

For example, customers of British Gas or Scottish Gas who are facing difficulty paying bills may receive grants of up to £2,000.

British Gas also provides assistance through its Energy Fund and Family Support Fund.

You do not need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.

EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy, and Scottish Power also offer grants for families facing difficulties.

Thousands of vulnerable households do not receive additional help if they have not signed up for the Priority Services Register (PSR).

This service is designed to support vulnerable households, such as the elderly or sick individuals.

Some benefits include receiving alerts about disconnections, free gas checks, and additional support if you need it urgently.

Contact your energy supplier to find out how to apply.