THOUSANDS of Brits will have received their benefits and Universal Credit this week, as the nation prepares for Her Majesty’s funeral.
Those receiving both Universal Credit and pension credit, among others, will have received their payment, three days earlier than expected.
This is because the Queen’s state funeral has been declared a bank holiday for Brits across the country, meaning payments need to be made today, rather than on Monday.
Universal Credit recipients aren’t the only ones who will receive their payments early.
Those claiming; Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment, State Pension, Child Benefit/Guardian’s Allowance, Working Tax Credits and finally, Child Tax Credits will also get payments this week.
Read our live blog below for the latest updates….
-
Get free debt advice
If you are struggling with debt, you are not alone.
There are a number of services designed to help Brits with debt troubles.
Here are some free services that may be of use:
-
Key boiler tip to reduce energy bills
Allen Hart, a professional plumber from Leeds, has revealed to his 40,000 TikTok followers one key tip to reduce boiler costs.
Speaking in the video, Allen said: “If you want help to reduce your energy bills, it’s worth checking if you can turn your maximum flow rate down.
“You wouldn’t want to turn it too low if you’ve got a hot water cylinder, but you can do it on a combi.
“Just turn the flow temperature down and you boiler will more efficient and still burn the same amount of gas.”
Click here for a deep dive into reducing boiler bills.
-
Get cheap broadband if you claim Universal Credit
A number of broadband providers offer cheap deals for those on certain benefits.
It will differ depending on which provider you use, but these deals can often be claimed over the phone.
TalkTalk, Virgin Media and BT are three companies currently offering deals.
-
Millions of Brits to see tax cuts next Friday
Liz Truss will cut millions of Brits’ taxes next week, as she announces a “mini-budget” aimed at preventing the incoming recession.
The Health and Social Care Levy is set to be scrapped, along with a planned rise in corporation tax next year.
The new PM will also announce further details of her wide-ranging cost of living plan next week.
-
Household Support Fund
Extra cash totalling £500m has been handed to councils to give out to struggling families.
The Household Support Fund previously included vouchers to spend in the supermarket and for buying kids clothes in one area and £100 cash in another.
The help you can get depends on you location and your circumstances.
You can find your local council using this tool and searching you postcode. to see what help is available near to you.
-
Truss vows to scrap the planned increase in Corporation Tax
Ms Truss has also vowed to scrap the planned increase in Corporation Tax.
The levy on business’ profits was due to rise from 19 per cent to 25 per cent – meaning firms can keep more of their cash.
The PM insists this will help spur economic growth by incentivising firms to do business in London.
Reducing costs on businesses should mean shoppers pay less for products – in a win for consumers.
But the overall benefit will be impossible to calculate for now.
-
How to make some more money
Selling unwanted items from around the house could make you more than £1,000, according to eBay expert Clare Seal.
Think laptops, pushchairs, musical instruments and gardening tools.
Facebook Marketplace and the Nextdoor app are also good for selling to people who live locally — and you don’t have to pay to list items.
You can earn up to £1,000 a year from selling items without having to pay tax.
-
Can switching your bank account help?
You could get up to £175 in free cash just by switching to a new bank account.
Santander currently pays £175 if you move to its 123 Lite account.
This does cost £2 a month and you have to pay in a minimum of £500 a month to the account.
But you can earn between one and three per cent cashback on bills, including two per cent on energy bills.
There is a maximum of £5 in cashback per bill, so £15 a month in total.
Read the terms and conditions before you switch, to find any clauses that might not suit you.
Nationwide is offering £100 if you switch to its FlexDirect account, while HSBC pays £110 to switch to its HSBC Advance account as well as a £30 voucher for either Uber Eats or The Dining Out.
To switch your bank you just need to open a new account.
Tell the new bank your old account details and it will do the rest.
The Current Account Switching Service guarantee means it should only take seven days.
You’ll need to check before you switch as some will only offer the perk if you make it your main bank account, switch direct debits and pay in a minimum amount each month.
-
Why hanging up your car keys in the cost of living crisis could land you a fine
While many are choosing to hang up their keys and keep their motor off the road as fuel costs rise, they’re being warned there are steps they must take to avoid a fine.
Motorists must inform the DVLA if they are planning to keep their car off the road and untaxed, and they will be issued with a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification).
A SORN is necessary to avoid fines, which motorists can be slapped with if a camera or the police spots the car on the road when it is not covered with road tax.
A warning letter with fines will be sent via post if motorists are caught out.
It is £100 if your car is uninsured, and £40-£100 if your road tax has expired. Court action after this can raise fines to up to £1000.
-
What energy help is out there?
There is plenty of help out there if you need it for your energy bills.
Recently, British Gas confirmed it would be granting its most vulnerable customers a grant worth up to £750.
Here is some of the help you may be entitled to.
-
State pensions could grow to £200 a week as inflation continues to rise
New measures introduced by Liz Truss, combined with soaring inflation, could see state pensions see a massive boost, an expert has claimed.
Helen Morrisey, senior pensions and retirement analyst at financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Inflation eased this month, but it still remains sky high and looks set to stay so for the foreseeable future.
“This means pensioners are in line for a significant pension boost next year as long as the government keeps its pledge to keep the triple lock.
“If the link to Consumer Price Index remains, then we could see pensioners on a full new state pension get more than £200 per week.”
She went on to say: “Last year’s 3.1% increase was no match for soaring inflation and has left many pensioners struggling and so a more generous increase will be welcomed.
“However, any such increase will not kick in until April which feels a very long way away right now for those struggling to make ends meet.”
-
How do Universal Credit payments work?
The Sun spoke with Lee Healey, benefits expert at social enterprise IncomeMAX, who gave us a detailed breakdown of the Universal Credit system.
According to Healey, Universal Credit payments are made every calendar month, but if you’re working you may receive less.
If you’re paid weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks, you may get more payments from work than is usual during a calendar month.
Because Universal Credit is assessed on your monthly income, the system will pay you less in the month after the one where you’ve received extra pay packets.
But Lee said a lot of people were not aware if they received surplus pay packets one month, that their Universal Credit payment would drop, leaving them with less money than they’ve budgeted for.
He said: “You will need to be prepared for months where you’ll get two work payments and then your Universal Credit will go down the following month.”
-
Tip: Ask energy providers about hardship funds
If you are struggling, ask your supplier what funds are available for you to apply for – you could save up to £2,575.
Here are a few energy provider grants to get you started:
-
Key boiler tip to reduce energy bills
Allen Hart, a professional plumber from Leeds, has revealed to his 40,000 TikTok followers one key tip to reduce boiler costs.
Speaking in the video, Allen said: “If you want help to reduce your energy bills, it’s worth checking if you can turn your maximum flow rate down.
“You wouldn’t want to turn it too low if you’ve got a hot water cylinder, but you can do it on a combi.
“Just turn the flow temperature down and you boiler will more efficient and still burn the same amount of gas.”
Click here for a deep dive into reducing boiler bills.
-
Get free debt advice
If you are struggling with debt, you are not alone.
There are a number of services designed to help Brits with debt troubles.
Here are some free services that may be of use:
-
Will Universal Credit and other benefits rise in 2023?
The current allowance for single claimants over the age of 25 is around £334.91 a month.
If inflation remains at 9.9%, payments will grow by £33.16 a month to £368.07.
But inflation could still come in at more or less than this in September, or the government could decide to increase benefit rates by a different amount.
The exact amount you get will also depend on exactly how much your benefit payments are each month, as there are also extra amounts if you have children or caring responsibilities.
-
Millions of Brits to see tax cuts next Friday
Liz Truss will cut millions of Brits’ taxes next week, as she announces a “mini-budget” aimed at preventing the incoming recession.
The Health and Social Care Levy is set to be scrapped, along with a planned rise in corporation tax next year.
The new PM will also announce further details of her wide-ranging cost of living plan next week.
-
How Bulb energy customers will receive their £400 cost of living payment
Brits are set to receive £400 off their energy bills over the next six months, but each provider is offering the discount in a different form.
Bulb will pay its customers the discount in six instalments to help with rising costs this winter.
Here is an outline of Bulb’s payment structure:
-
What energy help is out there?
There is plenty of help out there if you need it for your energy bills.
Recently, British Gas confirmed it would be granting its most vulnerable customers a grant worth up to £750.
Here is some of the help you may be entitled to.
-
State pensions could grow to £200 a week as inflation continues to rise
New measures introduced by Liz Truss, combined with soaring inflation, could see state pensions see a massive boost, an expert has claimed.
Helen Morrisey, senior pensions and retirement analyst at financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Inflation eased this month, but it still remains sky high and looks set to stay so for the foreseeable future.
“This means pensioners are in line for a significant pension boost next year as long as the government keeps its pledge to keep the triple lock.
“If the link to Consumer Price Index remains, then we could see pensioners on a full new state pension get more than £200 per week.”
She went on to say: “Last year’s 3.1% increase was no match for soaring inflation and has left many pensioners struggling and so a more generous increase will be welcomed.
“However, any such increase will not kick in until April which feels a very long way away right now for those struggling to make ends meet.”
-
Will Universal Credit and other benefits rise in 2023?
The current allowance for single claimants over the age of 25 is around £334.91 a month.
If inflation remains at 9.9%, payments will grow by £33.16 a month to £368.07.
But inflation could still come in at more or less than this in September, or the government could decide to increase benefit rates by a different amount.
The exact amount more you get will also depend on exactly how much your benefit payments are each month, as there are also extra amounts if you have children or caring responsibilities.
-
Tips for saving money on heating this winter
Speaking to the Sun, Myles Robinson an expert from Boiler Central, outlined what setting your heating should be at as we enter the winter.
Myles recommends that people set their thermostats between 18 and 21°c over the winter months.
He said: “To save money, we recommend putting on more layers of clothing. Also, investing in a higher quilt tog is a good way to keep your energy bills low in the long run and to maintain good sleep and health.”
-
Iceland’s free food scheme is officially closed
Iceland has ended its £30 free food voucher scheme.
The budget supermarket chain offered the discount to vulnerable pensioners struggling during the cost of living crisis.
The budget supermarket teamed up the Rothesay Foundation in order to help hard-up Brits.
Throughout August, Iceland gave away over 40,000 vouchers.
Customers had until today to apply for the scheme.
However, a spokesperson for Iceland told The Sun on Wednesday, September 14: “We have now reached the limit of 80,000 vouchers allocated for this scheme so the campaign is now closed.”
-
Where can I get help with my bills?
If you are struggling with your food bill then there are a number of charities and organisations which may be able to help, on top of the providers that offer their own grants.
Hard-up households can grab free cash towards essential living costs, including a £36 voucher for food items.
The extra support comes as part of the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) initiative.
The current batch of funding will be available until September 30 – but households are being urged to apply for help as soon as possible.
Money is dished out to local councils, which will decide what sort of help to offer in their area and who is eligible.
-
Make sure to cancel subscriptions that you don’t need to save money
An easy way to keep your wallet well-stocked is by cancelling monthly subscriptions such as Sky, Spotify, Netflix, Amazon Prime and iCloud storage.
Have a look at your direct debits, and ask yourself if you really use all the services you are forking out for.
A standard Netflix subscription costs £10.99 per month, while Amazon recently hiked its monthly Prime subscription cost to £8.99.
Cancelling these subscriptions doesn’t need to be permanent – you could do it temporarily as a way of saving cash before the festive period – and rejoin in the new year.
