Financial support in winter for carers
With the cost of living and energy bills continuing to rise, and additional costs stretching the purse strings even further at this time of year, making ends meet can feel a bit overwhelming. Our guide, written for unpaid carers and those we care for, includes different financial support options we may be entitled to this winter.
Energy-saving information for carers this winter
1. Warm Home Discount Scheme
The Warm Home Discount is a one-off payment of £150, automatically paid directly to our energy supplier to help with the cost of our energy bills between October 2026 and March 2027. We do not need to do anything.
Am I eligible for the Warm Home Discount?
To qualify we need to already claim either:
the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit or,
a different 'qualifying benefit'
For England and Wales, you may be eligible if all of the following applied on 23rd August 2026: your energy supplier is part of the scheme, you (or your partner) get certain means-tested benefits, your name (or your partner's) is on the electricity bill. The qualifying means-tested benefits are Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Pension Credit.
How can I apply for the Warm Home Discount?
We do not need to apply. If we are eligible we’ll be paid automatically. Please note the scheme is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For those living in Scotland we need to check the alternative Winter Heating Payment.
When will the Warm Home Discount be paid?
This varies depending on where we live and our supplier. The Department of Work and Pensions will issue letters confirming eligibility between 20th October 2026 and 31st December 2026.
If you don't get a letter by then and think you might be eligible, contact the Warm Home Discount's helpline on 0800 030 9322 before the end of February 2027.
2. Cold Weather Payments 2026/27
The Cold Weather Payment allows for a payment of £25 for each seven-day period of weather, which is either forecast to be or recorded as zero degrees celsius or below. The Cold Weather Payment scheme reopens on 1 November 2026 and runs to 31 March 2027,
Am I eligible for Cold Weather Payments?
We’ll usually get a Cold Weather Payment if we get Pension Credit. We may get a Cold Weather Payment if we’re getting one of the following:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Universal Credit
Support for Mortgage Interest
Check full details of eligibility here.
How can I apply for Cold Weather Payments?
We don't need to apply. If we're eligible we’ll be paid automatically. The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from the 1st of November 2026 to the 31st of March 2027. Check if you can get a payment in your area here.
When will the Cold Weather Payments be paid?
After each period of very cold weather in our area, you should get a payment within 14 working days. It’s paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments. In Scotland, Winter Heating Payment is paid between the beginning of December and the end of February each year.
Further Information
Read the full guidance on the government website here.
3. Winter Fuel Payments
Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment for households that include someone born on or before 27th June 1960 (for 2026-27), and the qualifying week for winter 2026-27 is from Monday 21st until Sunday 27th September 2026. This change from the previous system is because the State Pension age is increasing from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
Your household receives £200 if at least one qualifying person is aged between State Pension age and 79. The payment is £300 if at least one qualifying person is aged 80 or above.
If you qualify and you receive Pension Credit or a working age means tested benefit such as Universal Credit, the whole payment will be made to one person in the household who receives the benefit.
If you do not receive a means-tested benefit, and there is more than one qualifying person in your household, the payments are split.
For example, for a couple aged 80 and 78, £200 will be paid to the older partner and £100 to the younger partner. If both partners are 80 years old or over, they each receive £150 and if they are both under the age of 80, they receive £100 each.
Am I eligible for winter fuel payments?
To qualify we must:
have been born on or before 27th June 1960
beliving in England or Wales for the qualifying week.
The qualifying week for winter 2026-27 is from Monday 21st until Sunday 27th September 2026.
For those of us living in Scotland, the equivalent benefit is the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
If the person we care for lives in a care home
They are not entitled to Winter Fuel Payment if they lived in a care home for the whole time from 29th June 2026 or earlier and received Pension Credit, Universal Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
If they live in a care home and don’t receive one of these benefits, their Winter Fuel Payment is £100 if they are under 80, and if they are aged 80 or older it is £150.
How can I apply for Winter Fuel Payments?
We'll automatically receive the Winter Fuel Payment if we're eligible so there is no need to do anything. If you're eligible, the Winter Fuel Payment for 2026 will be paid directly into your account between November and December 2026. If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by 27th January 2027, contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160.
If you wish, you can opt out before 6pm on 18 September 2026. Contact the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160 or by clicking here to say you do not want to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.
You might prefer to receive the payment rather than opting out, in case you need help with your bills during the colder months. If your income is over £35,000 by the end of the financial year, the payment can be recovered through the tax system.
4. The Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund (HSF), which has provided support for residents experiencing financial hardship, ended nationally on 31 March 2026. Its replacement is the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which will run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. The Crisis and Resilience Fund applies to England only.
If you live in Scotland or Wales, you may be able to get help from:
the Scottish Welfare Fund (in Scotland)
the Discretionary Assistance Fund (in Wales)
Your council may also offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays.
5. Helpful services suggested by carers
Other services that carers have also found helpful through the winter months:
Scope - Disability Energy Support
Scope offers free energy and water advice to those of us caring for someone who is disabled. It's open to any disabled person, or households where 1 or more disabled people live, in England, Scotland or Wales. Take note that Scope is flagging high demand for the service at the moment, with waits of a few weeks.
Scope's advisors can support us through a wide range of topics such as:
Managing energy and water debt
Making sure we have a meter that works best for us
How to be more efficient with energy and water usage
Filing a complaint with our supplier
Accessing benefits or grants we might be eligible for
Understanding how our water and heating systems work
Support with registering for the priority services register
"I recently used this service for myself - but it could work for your family too as dementia is classed as a disability. They are really helpful - calls take up to one hour - you have to book with them. They can advise on the priority register and liaising with companies, I got a free heated blanket and £150 energy voucher towards a bill."
Priority Services Register for carers
Some energy providers may be able to offer us extra help and priority access to energy or gas solutions with something known as the Priority Services Register.
We can ask our energy supplier what specific help is available for carers or households with a cared-for person living there.
*Carers tip: Some carers have shared that this does not grant us priority in cases of natural emergencies such as storms. So it's worth enquiring with our energy supplier beforehand on what support there is in cases of emergencies.
Finally, we might want to read the full discount for carers guide for more money off deals, including water and energy bills, places where we can go free, council tax reduction and more.
You may also like
Want to hear more from us?
Feel free to sign up for our weekly newsletter, 💌 full of carers' tips and tricks. We'll keep you in the loop, from discounts for carers, to how to register as a carer.
