Important date to know in November that could unlock £150 energy help this winter

The energy support comes from the government's Warm Home Discount Scheme. Ran by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, it gives a one-off discount of £150 on your electricity bills between October and March

If you claim Pension Credit by this date in November then you could get £150 off your energy bills this winter.

The energy support comes from the government's Warm Home Discount Scheme. Ran by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, it gives a one-off discount of £150 on your electricity bills between October and March.

If you are eligible, the money is paid directly into your energy account - rather than into your bank account - by your energy supplier. Prepay meter customers are sent a top-up voucher. You are automatically eligible for the support this year if you have an account with a participating electricity supplier and claim the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit or another qualifying benefit on August 11.

If you don't claim Pension Credit but are eligible, you still have some time. This is because successful Pension Credit applications are backdated by three months. This means if you put in a claim for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit by November 11, your claim will be backdated to August 11, making you eligible for the Warm Home Discount.

Pension Credit is a benefit available to people who have reached state pension age - although you don't need to be claiming state pension to get it. The extra cash aims to help older Brits cover day to day living costs. If you’re eligible to claim it, your weekly income will be topped up to £218.15 a week, or to £332.95 if you’re in a couple.

Around 1.4 million households across the UK currently get Pension Credit, however, the latest Government figures revealed that around 808,000 people could be missing out. The DWP says the benefit is worth around £3,900 a year as it unlocks a whole range of perks including council tax reductions, free NHS dental treatment and a free TV licence - as well as the Warm Home Discount.

How to claim Pension Credit

You can apply for Pension Credit online on the government's website website, by calling 0800 99 1234, or by printing out and filling in a paper application form. You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you'll need to be with them when they do. You will also need the following information on you before applying:

• Your National Insurance number
• Information about any income, savings and investments you have
• Information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually three months ago or the date you reached state pension age)
• Your bank, building society or credit union account details