BRITS have started receiving their second Cost of Living Payment – but the DWP says some on Universal Credit will have to wait longer.
The DWP officially began sending out the second Cost of Living payment, worth £324, on Tuesday – bringing the total payout to £650.
But most people who are entitled to the payment did not receive the cash on November 8, with the DWP confirming that numbers would “increase significantly” between November 9 and November 23.
To be eligible for the cash, you will have to 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 and Universal Credit.
Meanwhile, Martin Lewis returned this week for another installment of his Money Show, where he offered tips and tricks to stay on top of your finances and energy bills.
Read our cost of living live blog below for the latest updates…
-
What energy bill help can you get this winter?
As bills soar and inflation rises it can be tough to keep up with your energy bills.
But a number of providers offer schemes to help struggling Brits in their time of need.
Here is a list of different providers and the help they offer this winter:
-
Do not switch off your boiler at night to save on bills
Switching off your appliances when they are not in use can be a good way to save on bills.
But experts have warned that turning off your boiler while you sleep could end up increasing your outgoings or even break the machine.
A spokesperson from BoilerCentral told us why you shouldn’t switch your boiler off at night: “If the boiler is turned off and you have forgotten to turn it back on, some can be temperamental and then require a call out.
“It is advised to first look at adjusting your thermostat settings instead of turning your boiler off.
“If someone is looking to regularly turn off their boiler then to ensure it can be done without causing problems it’s advised to get it serviced annually.”
-
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.
-
Barclays to refund customers up to £750, could you be one?
Over 1,000 customers will be refunded £750 each because of PPI mistakes.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that Barclays failed to send Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) information to some mortgage holders.
Adam Land, senior director of remedies, business and financial analysis at the CMA, said: “Barclays will pay customers up to £1 million after breaching the CMA’s PPI Order.
“That’s an average payment of around £750 per customer, which is particularly important as the cost-of-living crisis bites.
“We will now work with Barclays to ensure these payments are made to customers.”
If you are owed the cash, Barclays will contact you soon.
-
Claim National Insurance credits to boost your pension
If you’re a parent who gets child benefit for a child under 12, you’ll automatically get national insurance credits towards your state pension.
But if you’re a grandparent looking after a child so the parent can go back to work, the parent can sign a form to pass the NI credits to you.
Find out more at gov.uk/national-insurance-credits.
-
How much does your hairdryer cost to run?
Drying your hair on the highest power setting will take eight minutes and use up 1.8 kilowatts (kW) of power.
This will cost you nearly 8p to run.
If you use your hair dryer at full power it’ll cost you £16.97 a year.
But if you were to use it on eco mode without the heating element, it would cost £0.99 a year to run.
-
Are you eligible for the £10 Christmas bonus?
Thousands of Brits could get their hands on a tax-free £10 this Christmas.
This payment, which will be sent automatically, will be delivered to those claiming the following benefits.
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
-
Nine electric blankets to keep you warm this winter
Bills have soared this year, so anything to keep you warm without turning the heating up can be a big help.
With that in mind, here are nine electric blankets to keep you warm this winter.
-
How to know if you’ve received the £324 cost of living payment
It can be hard to keep track of all the payments going in and out of your bank account.
But if you know the right code, you’ll be able to tell if you have received the government’s second cost of living payment, worth £324.
You’ll be able to see when the money has landed in your bank account by looking for a reference which starts with your national insurance number, followed by “DWP COL”.
-
What temperature should your thermostat be to save on bills?
As bills rise this winter, Brits are looking for ways to save on energy.
But what temperature should you have your heating to save on bills?
When it comes to your thermostat, Energy Saving Trust recommends you should set it to the “lowest comfortable temperature”.
For most of us, this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.
-
What energy bill help can you get this winter?
As bills soar and inflation rises it can be tough to keep up with your energy bills.
But a number of providers offer schemes to help struggling Brits in their time of need.
Here is a list of different providers and the help they offer this winter:
-
Do not switch off your boiler at night to save on bills
Switching off your appliances when they are not in use can be a good way to save on bills.
But experts have warned that turning off your boiler while you sleep could end up increasing your outgoings or even break the machine.
A spokesperson from BoilerCentral told us why you shouldn’t switch your boiler off at night: “If the boiler is turned off and you have forgotten to turn it back on, some can be temperamental and then require a call out.
“It is advised to first look at adjusting your thermostat settings instead of turning your boiler off.
“If someone is looking to regularly turn off their boiler then to ensure it can be done without causing problems it’s advised to get it serviced annually.”
-
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.
-
Barclays to refund customers up to £750, could you be one?
Over 1,000 customers will be refunded £750 each because of PPI mistakes.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that Barclays failed to send Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) information to some mortgage holders.
Adam Land, senior director of remedies, business and financial analysis at the CMA, said: “Barclays will pay customers up to £1 million after breaching the CMA’s PPI Order.
“That’s an average payment of around £750 per customer, which is particularly important as the cost-of-living crisis bites.
“We will now work with Barclays to ensure these payments are made to customers.”
If you are owed the cash, Barclays will contact you soon.
-
Claim National Insurance credits to boost your pension
If you’re a parent who gets child benefit for a child under 12, you’ll automatically get national insurance credits towards your state pension.
But if you’re a grandparent looking after a child so the parent can go back to work, the parent can sign a form to pass the NI credits to you.
Find out more at gov.uk/national-insurance-credits.
-
How much does your hairdryer cost to run?
Drying your hair on the highest power setting will take eight minutes and use up 1.8 kilowatts (kW) of power.
This will cost you nearly 8p to run.
If you use your hair dryer at full power it’ll cost you £16.97 a year.
But if you were to use it on eco mode without the heating element, it would cost £0.99 a year to run.
-
Are you eligible for the £10 Christmas bonus?
Thousands of Brits could get their hands on a tax-free £10 this Christmas.
This payment, which will be sent automatically, will be delivered to those claiming the following benefits.
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
-
Nine electric blankets to keep you warm this winter
Bills have soared this year, so anything to keep you warm without turning the heating up can be a big help.
With that in mind, here are nine electric blankets to keep you warm this winter.
-
How to know if you’ve received the £324 cost of living payment
It can be hard to keep track of all the payments going in and out of your bank account.
But if you know the right code, you’ll be able to tell if you have received the government’s second cost of living payment, worth £324.
You’ll be able to see when the money has landed in your bank account by looking for a reference which starts with your national insurance number, followed by “DWP COL”.
-
What temperature should your thermostat be to save on bills?
As bills rise this winter, Brits are looking for ways to save on energy.
But what temperature should you have your heating to save on bills?
When it comes to your thermostat, Energy Saving Trust recommends you should set it to the “lowest comfortable temperature”.
For most of us, this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.
-
How do you feel about this month’s National Insurance cut?
This month, the government slashed the rate of National Insurance.
This will save Brits on the highest wages up to £1,000 per year but could also save lower earners some cash.
How do you feel about the decision to cut NA?
-
Are you eligible for social broadband tariffs?
Martin Lewis has warned that millions of Brits are missing out on £230 worth of savings via a scheme known as social broadband tariffs.
This scheme, which many providers take part in, offers massive discounts on broadband for those on certain benefits.
Check your eligibility if you claim any of the following:
- Pension credit
- Jobseeker’s allowance,
- Employment and support allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payments
Find out more details here.
-
What age does child benefit stop?
Child benefit payments stop on August 31, on or after your child’s 16th birthday, if they leave education or training.
If this is the case, your teen will get their own registered National Insurance Number.
You will still be eligible to claim cash for your child, however, as long as they choose to stay in “approved education or training.”
-
How to know if you pay National Insurance
The government have put in place a major cut on National Insurance, saving some Brits over £1,000 per year.
But how do you know if you pay National Insurance?
You pay National Insurance if you’re 16 or over and either:
- an employee earning above £242 a week
- self-employed and making a profit of £6,725 or more a year
It is deducted from your wages each month.
-
Aldi to extend opening hours during Christmas rush
Budget supermarket chain Aldi is set to extend its opening hours as we approach the busy Christmas period.
The German company revealed that most of its shops will be open from 7 am to 10pm from December 19 to December 23.
This lines up perfectly with when the chain’s Christmas Turkeys will be put on sale, December 19!
