HARD-UP households can get cost of living cash to help pay for spiralling bills – here’s what help has been paid, and what’s to come.
The government is giving millions of households emergency money as the nation battles soaring energy, food and essential bill costs.
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Measures include the £650 cost of living payment, a £150 payment for people with disabilities, and the £300 cash for pensioners.
Some of the help has already been paid, while other support will land in bank accounts later in the year.
Households have already received the first chunk of the £650 cost of living payment, worth £326, and everyone will have been paid the £150 disability help by the beginning of this month.
Here’s what help is still to come.
Second cost of living instalment worth £324
Those claiming the following benefits will see the second instalment of the £650 cost of living payment land in their accounts:
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
The £650 support was split into two instalments, and the first – worth £326 – was dished out in July to seven million households.
Around one million people on Tax Credits received their first chunk later in September.
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You’ll get the second payment in winter – although the government hasn’t confirmed an exact date yet.
Energy bill discount – £400
All households in England, Scotland and Wales will get a £400 energy bill discount.
It will be paid in six monthly instalments from October until March 2023.
Households will see a discount of £66 applied to their bills in October and November, and £67 in December, January, February and March.
You might have seen this month’s chunk of help land in your account already.
It’s up to energy suppliers to dish out the discount – and how they will pay it varies.
British Gas, EDF Energy, Ovo Energy and Scottish Power have confirmed they will credit the discount to customers’ bank accounts for those paying their bills by direct debit.
Bulb, E.ON and E.ON Next, Shell Energy, Octopus Energy, So Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse will not pay the discount into customer bank accounts.
Warm home discount – £150
Millions of households are in line to get £150 off their energy bills this winter under the warm home discount scheme.
The payments are likely to start in December and will end in March 2023.
You’ll be eligible for the automatic discount if you received any of the following benefits up to August 21 this year:
There’s no need to claim for it this year – it will be dished out automatically to those who qualify.
The Department for Work and Pensions, who’s overseeing the scheme, will send you letter in October to confirm if you’ll get the payment later on in the year.
It’s up to individual energy companies to decide when they will give their customers the discount.
If you’re unsure about who supplies your energy, you can find out through Find My Supplier.
Cold weather payment – up to £75
When temperatures plummet, low income households can get a £25 payment.
The cash is designed to help people cover the cost of heating their homes when temperatures drop.
The cold weather payment is dished out when temperatures are recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below, on average, for seven consecutive days.
The scheme runs between November 1 and March 31.
The payments should arrive within 14 working days.
The cash is paid into the same bank or building society account as the one used to pay benefits, and doesn’t affect any other allowances you may claim.
Pensioner cost of living payment – £300
In November, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” will be paid out to eight million households.
It will be given to those who already get the winter fuel payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
You can check out if you are eligible for the winter fuel payment in our explainer.
What other help can I get for bills?
Struggling households can get up to £500 in help from their local council under the Household Support Fund.
What help you can get varies depending on who your local authority is.
Some authorities are giving up to £500 cash to residents, like in Bromsgrove and Redditch.
If you’re on a prepayment meter you might be able to get a one-off voucher to top up.
These vouchers are distributed through a range of organisations, like food banks and Citizens Advice.
Millions of Brits are missing out on benefits they’re entitled to adding up to billions of pounds in total.
There are several benefit checker tools you can use – here’s our guide.
There are energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you’re struggling.
British Gas has confirmed it will pay its most vulnerable customers grants worth £750 to help with sky-high bills.
The British Gas Energy Trust has previously paid struggling households up to £1,500 – and you don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply.
Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply, or check here:
