Cost of Living payment latest: Millions to get Universal Credit benefits EARLY due to Queen’s funeral; plus how to save

£400 energy payment, a visual breakdown

Despite launching an all-encompassing energy plan yesterday, capping average bills at £2,500, the government will still provide Brits with their £400 energy rebate.

The payment will be broken down into six separate rebates, beginning in October 2022 and ending in March the next year.

Several energy companies are taking part in this scheme, including British Gas, E.on, EDF, and Octopus Energy.

Benefits and Universal Credit to be paid early this week due to Her Majesty’s funeral

The Queen’s funeral could affect the day you receive your benefits.

Those receiving both Universal Credit and pension credit, among others, will receive their payment on a different day than usual.

Overall, If your benefits are due on the day of the state funeral, Monday, September 19, you’ll be paid on Friday, September 16.

This will impact you if you receive the following:

• 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
• Universal Credit
• Child Benefit/Guardian’s Allowance
• Working Tax Credits
• Child Tax Credits

Switching bank accounts can help you save during the cost of living crisis

Finding new ways to save will be crucial as the cost of living continues to worsen.

According to Andrew Hagger, a personal finance expert, switching bank accounts could save you some impressive sums if you make the right decision.

He said: “The switching process is really simple now.

“So if you are not happy with the service or rates from your bank, now is a great time to consider jumping ship and getting a nice cash bonus for your troubles.”

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.

DontPayUk visits sky rocket in August

Interest in the Don’t Pay movement reportedly skyrocketed in August.

The movement calls on Brits to end their direct debits and stop paying their bills.

AskGamblers.com said: “The sharp rise in the cost-of-living is putting a strain on millions of UK households.

“The Don’t Pay movement is gaining huge momentum, with visits to the website exploding to over six times the amount in one month, to 1.5 million.

“It’s a worrying sign that energy bills are becoming unaffordable for millions. However, it is advised to communicate with your energy supplier rather than refusing to pay altogether.”

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.

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.

Iceland ends free food voucher scheme

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 Friday, September 16, 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.”

How a prepayment meter could help you save on bills

Despite the PM’s recent energy intervention, which is set to cap average bills at £2,500 a year, the cost of living is still set to rise.

So, if you are having trouble paying your energy bills, asking for a prepayment meter could be the way to go.

Over 4million homes are on prepayment meters where they pay for the energy they use at the time, rather than being billed later on.

If you’re finding it difficult to pay for your bills at the end of the month, a prepayment meter might be a good idea.

If your energy supplier believes a prepayment meter isn’t the best option but recognises that you are struggling, they are obligated to offer help.

They MUST propose one of these options going forward:

• A full payment plan review
• Affordable debt repayment plans
• Payment breaks
• Payment reductions
• More time to pay

What temperature should your house be to save money 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.”

Inflation falls but remains near 40-year high

According to reports, inflation has fallen by around 0.2% for August, as petrol prices decrease.

The data, provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), reveals the rate went down compared to July, but is still close to a 40-year high.

Examining this date, Jack Leslie, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, had this to say: “High inflation continues to drive Britain’s cost-of-living crisis, but the outlook has brightened considerably over the past week.”

He added: “However, high inflation is set to be with us for some time, particularly for low-income who continue to be hit hardest by high prices.”

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:

Here are the cheapest supermarkets in the UK

Prices are going up, so finding the most affordable place to do your weekly shop is crucial.

Consumer champion Which? conducted analysis of supermarket prices in July.

According to the organisation, for smaller shops of 47 items, Aldi comes out as the clear winner.

But if you are looking to do a big shop, 152 items, Asda is the way to go.

News for Scottish Power customers

Scottish Power customers are set to receive an energy bill discount next month.

All five million Scottish Power customers will start to receive the £400 energy bills rebate from October 1.

Scottish Power customers that pay their bills by monthly direct debit will receive the £400 as a refund into their bank account after a successful payment is processed.

Households that don’t pay their bills by debit payers will receive the discount as a credit on their account.

Tip for parents to save money on game console energy bills

A Twitter user has revealed one key tip to save money on your game console’s energy footprint this winter.

On its default setting, an Xbox Series X will reportedly cost you £132 a year while on standby.

According to Twitter user Alex Hern, this can be solved by changing the default setting to “energy saver” in the console’s options menu.

Are you eligible for £1,500 off British Gas energy bills?

To be eligible for the fund, there’s no specific sum you need to have in your savings account, but it should be obvious that you’re in need of financial help.

Your application might process quicker if you’re on tax credits, like some of the following:

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit

The grant is for those seeking help with clearing an outstanding debt on an open gas or electricity account in their name. You must also be in or facing fuel poverty.

You will need to support your application with proof of your and your household’s income, which you should have to hand before you start. This could be a current bank statement.

You’ll also need to provide a recent meter read from your gas or electricity account, unless you have a smart meter, and these must be from your primary address.

You must also live in England, Scotland or Wales to be eligible.

However, if you’ve received money from the British Gas Energy Trust in the last year, you won’t be eligible for this one.

How long have pensioners got left to redeem £30 Iceland voucher?

Iceland is offering a £30 discount to vulnerable pensioners struggling during the cost of living crisis.

Iceland has teamed up with the Rothesay Foundation to run the scheme.

It made 40,000 vouchers available in August for those who’ve reached state pension age.

To be eligible for the voucher you’ll need to live independently or with a carer and rely solely on your state pension or other benefits to pay your bills.

Pensioners will also need to redeem their vouchers by December 31.

Which supermarkets are supporting the government’s plan?

The cost of living across Europe is getting worse and worse.

The UK government set out a plan last week outlining ways to support the people.

The campaign is named Help for Household and is supported by supermarkets including Aldi, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

David Buttress, former Just Eat chief and No 10.’s guide on affordable meals, agreed deals and discounts with several businesses as a way to cut costs for households.

How will the most deprived areas of the UK survive this winter?

Harehills is one of the most deprived places in the UK.

Meeting Point Café is a place in Harehills, Leeds which provided for those who have very little.

The prices of products at the café are based on what the local people can afford rather than what the national price of products are.

Pauline Burrows runs the café, which is subsidised by the Methodist church.

She explained: “We have people who are sleeping on streets waiting for us at seven o’clock when we open and when wintertime comes they’re going to need something warm to eat.”

Talking about what the winter willbring to the people that rely onthe café, she said: “It’s tragic.”

“I think people are going to either starve to death or freeze to death.”

One government benefit many people miss out on

The Attendance Allowance is available for those who have a disability severe enough they require looking after.

It includes those with physical and mental disabilities, but did you know it also covers people who are the State Pension age and older?

You do not need to have a someone caring for you in order to claim.

Those claiming the benefit can get either £61.85 or £92.40 per week, depending on their situation and the level of help required.

It is not means-tested, therefore what you earn, or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.

What do you think about the energy cap?

Last week saw a wave of change across the British Isles.

The Queen appointed Liz Truss prime minister two days before the monarch’s death, and though it’s been reported the nations are in mourning, many more are concerned about how they’ll manage their heating this winter.

The new prime minister held a Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons specifically to talk about the Cost of Living Crisis, during which she said there would be a cap at £2,500 per year per household.

The amount is still substantially higher than what most households are accustomed to paying.

The best places to live to save costs

Across the UK people are looking for ways to cut costs.

Many are taking extreme measures to survive this winter, including selling their cars to be able to pay for bills. And while moving home may seem drastic for some, others don’t have a choice.

Below are some of the best places to live in the UK based on the best cost of living.

Oxford England: 3,566.67.
Glasgow, Scotland: £2,805.67.
Reading, England: £3,010.76.
Bristol, England: £2,874.21.
Coventry, England: £2,250.00.

Sainsbury’s increase staff pay

As we enter winter, people across the nation are having to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table.

In order to help staff in the coming months as the cost of living becomes more difficult for many, Sainsbury’s is increasing discounts across it’s stores.

Along with the discounts, 125,000 staff are due to get a pay rise.

It’s reported that the supermarket chain is investing £25 million to make sure that people can support themselves.

Will the £400 booster payment be affected by the new price cap?

Many are confused about whether they’ll still get the £400 booster payment within the next few months as promised, or whether the new price cap affects it.

The answer is no, the price cap doesn’t affect it, and you’ll still get the £400 starting from October.

Nearly 30 million households are eligible for the discount which is being administered by energy firms.

It’s up to individual energy suppliers to determine how their customers are paid.

Bulb, E.ON, E.ON Next, Scottish Power, Shell Energy, Octopus Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse will apply the £400 rebate as a discount off bills.

It will be paid in six instalments between October and March, with the first payment worth £66.

What is friendly credit?

Friendly credit protects you if the shops are closed. It just means you won’t be cut off whether it’s in the evening, weekend or bank holiday. Usually it’s between 6pm and 9am Monday-Saturday, all Sunday and on bank holidays.

You’ll need to pay it back when you next top up as well.

And additional support credit is there for those who can’t afford to top up, particular if they’re of state pension age or have a disability.

What you can get, how this works and if you’re eligible will depend on your supplier, so speak to it as soon as possible.