MILLIONS of households are eligible for hundreds of pounds in bill support before the end of this year.
The cost of living has surged for consumers as inflation remains high and mortgage rates are driven up.
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Banks have been slow to pass on increased interest rates to savers too.
But there is a raft of support on offer if you are struggling to get by, in the shape of five cost of living payments.
And you might be eligible for more than one too.
What you are entitled to varies depending on your circumstances, but if you qualify for all the help you could get £1,275 in total.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Cost of living payment – £300
The Government has already handed out millions of pounds in cost of living payments since summer last year.
They have come in two rounds, with the latest encompassing a £900, £150 and £150-£300 payment.
Some of these have already been made, including the £150 disability payment.
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Meanwhile, the £900 payment has been split into three instalments of £301, £300 and £299, with the first having been paid in April and May.
However, the second instalment worth £300 is set to land in accounts in autumn, although the Government is yet to confirm exactly when.
You will qualify for the £300 if you received certain benefits during a qualifying period. They are:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Tax Credits (Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit
The exact qualifying period for the second payment has not yet been announced by the Government.
Pensioner cost of living payment – £150-£300
Millions of pensioners will receive a top-up on their Winter Fuel payment from November.
You will be eligible if you qualify for the Winter Fuel payment this year, which you get if you were born before September 25, 1957.
The payment is designed to shield elderly people from higher energy bills that inevitably come during the winter months.
In most cases, you will receive the payment automatically if you qualify.
However, if it’s your first time receiving the payment or you’ve deferred your state pension since you last received a Winter Fuel payment, you will need to apply.
You also might need to claim if you live abroad and receive any of the qualifying benefits.
You can claim by phone on 0800 731 0160, or post.
Before you call, make sure you have your National Insurance (NI), bank or building society details and the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate) to hand.
If you are claiming by post fill in a Winter Fuel payment claim form, found on the Government’s website, and send it to:
Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR
Warm Home Discount – £150
Eligible households can get £150 off their electricity bill between October 2023 and March 2024 through the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
The £150 payment is not paid to you, but is a one-off discount.
In some circumstances, you can get a discount on your gas bill instead – if your supplier provides you with gas and electricity and you qualify.
You should contact your supplier to find out more.
If you’re unsure about who supplies your energy, you can find out through Find My Supplier.
There are two different ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme, depending on where you live.
If you’re an England or Wales resident you qualify if you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
Or, if you are on a low income and have high energy costs.
Meanwhile, if you live in Scotland you qualify if you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
Or, if you are on a low income and meet the criteria set by your energy supplier.
Household Support Fund – £450
In February, the Government extended the Household Support Fund (HSF), with a further £842million pumped in to the pot.
The money has been split between councils in England which are distributing it among residents.
The scheme is open until March 31, 2024, the deadline for when local authorities have to allocate their share of the fund.
The fund is a bit of a postcode lottery as each council has a unique amount to distribute.
Local authorities are offering help in different ways too, including via direct bank transfers or vouchers.
For example, households in Reading can get up to £450 in free cash to help cover the cost of living.
Payments to people over state pension age and in receipt of Housing Benefit are being made in October.
Some households will receive vouchers sent to their homes by the Post Office too.
You should contact your local council to see what help you can get.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s locator tool on its website.
Cold weather payment – up to £75
Households can get extra money to cover the cost of their energy bills when temperatures drop over a consistent period.
The payment is made automatically for each seven-day period of sub-zero temperatures between November 1 and March 31.
That means if you lived in an area that experienced temperatures below zero degrees for three weeks, you could get £75.
But you have to be receiving certain benefits to qualify, which are:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
If you live in Scotland, you cannot get Cold Weather payments but may qualify for the Winter Heating payment.
More details of that payment can be found on the Scottish government’s website.
Other bill support is available
Fuel vouchers – £50
If you’re on a prepayment meter you might be able to get a one-off voucher to top up.
The fuel voucher scheme comes via the Fuel Bank Foundation charity, and it’s offered through a range of organisations, like food banks and Citizens Advice.
The best place to start to find somewhere which can offer you a fuel voucher is by asking your local council.
The voucher should help you cover around two weeks’ worth of electricity use.
Some energy companies may also issue their own vouchers, so ask your supplier directly.
Energy grants – worth up to £1,500
There are plenty of energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you’re struggling.
British Gas, E.ON, EDF, Scottish Power and Octopus Energy all run their own individual funds.
You should get in touch with your supplier to see what help you can get.
Check your eligibility for benefits
Millions of Brits are missing out on benefits they’re entitled to which could go some way to helping with the cost of living.
Benefit calculators can help you check what you could be entitled to.
There are several benefit checker tools you can use – here’s our guide.
You can get free debt advice
If you’re in debt there are plenty of services that 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.
They can also help you take the next steps if you need a debt management plan (DMP) to tackle your debt or an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). These are agreements for managing multiple debts.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
