The Warm Home Discount (WHD) is a government scheme that requires obligated energy suppliers to provide support to low income, fuel poor and vulnerable households in England, Wales and Scotland.

This support is provided in the form of:

• Rebates on energy bills: in 2024, a one-off discount of £150 on electricity bills for eligible households
• Industry Initiatives, such as energy advice, support for energy efficiency measures and assistance with energy debts

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) appointed us in 2024, as part of a consortium led by RSM, to evaluate the reformed WHD scheme from August 2023 to November 2026. The evaluation aims to: 

• Determine the extent to which the rebates have successfully targeted groups at greatest risk of fuel poverty
• Capture feedback on scheme delivery from both beneficiaries and suppliers
• Assess the extent to which the WHD has achieved its intended outcomes

During Phase 1 of the evaluation, we led a large-scale, push-to-web survey of households receiving WHD rebates in 2023, with each selected household receiving at least one initial invitation letter and reminder. The letter included a QR code and web address for people to complete the survey online, and alternative options to complete the survey by phone or post if they prefer.

The mainstage survey took place in October and November 2024, following cognitive testing and a large-scale pilot to test the approach and incentive. The cognitive testing phase involved 14 interviews to refine the survey design and ensure clarity and relevance, with the survey also being piloted over six weeks to test and confirm the feasibility of securing the required number of responses.

Across the fieldwork period, we invited 32,042 households receiving the WHD rebate in 2023 to participate in the survey, securing responses from 4,014 of these households in total across the pilot and mainstage surveys – an overall response rate of 12.5%.