Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has had discussions with British Gas regarding (a) their closure of applications for the Warm Home Discount scheme for 2021-22 and (b) a date for reopening the scheme in 2022-23.

The ‘Broader Group’ is the only application-based element of the Warm Home Discount scheme. Energy suppliers are responsible for administering their own Broader Group processes, including deciding how they award rebates to their customers.

The Government consulted last summer on reforms to the scheme that would enable the vast majority of customers to receive their rebate automatically, without the need to apply. The Government will publish the response to the consultation in the spring, with the reforms coming into force from the 2022/23 scheme year.