THOUSANDS of households across Britain have just days left to get free cash worth £324.
The cost of living payment is available to pension credit claimants, with hundreds of thousands missing out by not claiming.
To get it, you will need to have been in receipt of any one of the eligible benefits, including pension credit, for any day in the period from August 26 to September 25, 2022.
Pension credit claims can be backdated by three months, which means you’re eligible if you claim by Sunday, December 18.
This comes as bills soar across the UK, leaving millions of Brits struggling to get by.
Read our cost of living live blog below for the latest updates….
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Four reasons your £324 cost of living payment could be delayed
Millions of households have now started receiving their £324 cost of living payment.
However, some may not yet have received the cash and here’s why.
- You’re on Tax Credits
- You’ve changed bank accounts
- Your application has not been approved
- “Complex” cases
You can find more details here.
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How much do electric blankets cost to use?
These gadgets use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed before switching to a sleep setting or being turned off, according to research from Uswitch.
It costs 24p to run an electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.
If you used it for one hour a day for a year, you’d be spending £12.48 on your electricity.
But using an electric blanket instead of turning the heating up could still save you cash off your bill.
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Essex residents can get £30 in free supermarket vouchers this Christmas
If you are feeling the Christmas pinch, this is for you.
Essex residents can claim up to £30 in supermarket vouchers as part of the government’s Household support fund.
To be eligible for the free cash vouchers, households must contain children who are either:
- aged four to 19 who are registered for free meals with their school or college.
- children aged two, three and four who are entitled to pupil premium or free entitlement funding supplement.
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Are you eligible for the Household support fund in Warrington?
In a bid to help hard-up Brits during the Cost of Living Crisis, the government launched its Household Support Fund.
Thousands of Brits across the UK are eligible for the cash, but how much you get depends on where you live.
Now, thousands of households in Warrington, Cheshire, are set to receive at least £40 direct into their bank accounts before Christmas.
The £40 payment is the second of three being made before March next year.
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Do you qualify for the £324 Cost of Living payment?
To qualify for the free cash you must claim at least one of these benefits.
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
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Tandridge residents can get up to £300 in free cash this Christmas
In a bid to help hard-up Brits during the Cost of Living Crisis, the government launched its Household Support Fund.
Thousands of Brits across the UK are eligible for the cash, but how much you get depends on where you live.
For example, in Tandridge, you can get a free £300 in you qualify.
To get the cash, you must:
- be over the age of 16
- live in the Tandridge district
- be in financial difficulty and struggling to meet the cost of essential items like food, fuel or energy bills for themselves or their dependents
- not have already received a grant from the Household Support Fund
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How to report missing £324 cost of living payment
If you are eligible for the £324 cost of living payment but are yet to receive it, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued new guidance, telling people to report the missing payment.
To do this you can visit the DWP’s cost of living page, which is on the Gov.UK website.
People who are only on tax credits can report the missing payment directly to HMRC.
Prior to reporting a missing payment, the DWP advised checking your bank, building society, credit union account or Payment Exception Service voucher receipt.
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How to keep your house warm WITHOUT turning on the heating
As the colder months arrive, many are doing all they can to keep warm without turning the heating in, in a bid to save some cash.
Here’s how you can keep your home warm without the cost of turning on the heat.
- Block draughts – doors, windows, letterbox and keyholes.
- Upgrade your windows.
- Use rugs to keep floors warm.
- Turn radiators off in unused rooms and keep the doors shut.
- Wear warmer clothes.
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Are you eligible for the Household support fund in Shropshire?
Thousands of Brits from across the country could be set to receive up to £200 in free cash this Christmas.
For example, in Shropshire, residents could get their hands on up to £180.
Just over 5,000 residents in the region will pocket the cash.
To be eligible the following criteria must apply.
- You have not previously received support through the council’s Household Support Fund.
- You receive housing benefit only.
- You receive housing benefit on legacy benefits and are in receipt of council tax support.
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What is pension credit?
Pension credit is designed to boost your income if you’re over the state pension age and on a low income.
On top of the government’s cost of living payment, pension credit also makes you eligible for other support such as the Warm Home Discount scheme worth £150 a year and help with council tax.
The benefit could be worth more than £3,300 a year.
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Have you received the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment?
Last month, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” started going out to millions of households.
It will be given to those who already get the Winter Fuel Payment, worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
To qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment and Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, the following must apply:
- You were born on or before 25 September 1956
- You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 – this is called the “qualifying week”.
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Free debt advice
If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free advice on how to manage debt.
Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
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Find out if you can get the household support fund for Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland Council has revealed that thousands of Brits can get their hands on up to £200 direct into their accounts.
If you receive Council Tax support you will be entitled to a payment.
But, you might also be entitled to discretionary assistance if you are on a low income and are in a credit deficit.
The payment will come in between £50 and £200.
You will need to be quick, though, as the deadline for applications is today (Friday, December 16).
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What is the Household Support Fund?
The Household Support Fund was launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid a cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.
like heating your home or to cover costs of your weekly grocery shop.
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How do you apply for the Household Support Fund?
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your local council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply for the funding on its website.
