How to make sure you get all the government’s cost of living payments including £400 energy bill grant

A BUMPER £15billion cost of living relief package was unveiled by the Chancellor last week – here’s how to get all the payments you’re due.

Emergency cash help for desperate families who are struggling to pay their energy bills will be dished out over the course of this year.

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Every household will get at least £400 to go towards their bills as prices are expected to rocket further later this year.

The boss of Ofgem has predicted the price cap could hit around £2,800 in October – adding £830 onto customers’ bills.

It will be a bitter blow for households who are already struggling to affording costs – six million are already in debt with their supplier by an average of £188.

It means the cost of living payments revealed by Rishi last week will be a lifeline for hard-up households – here’s how to make sure you’re getting all the payments you’re eligible for.

£650 cost of living payment

Eight million households on means-tested benefits will get a £650 cost of living payment.

The payments will go to everyone on means-tested benefits, including universal credit, pensions credit, housing benefit, jobseekers’ allowance and income support.

The Department for Work and Pensions will make the payment in two lump sums.

You’ll get the first £325 instalment from July, and the second £325 in the autumn – although an exact date hasn’t been announced yet.

How do I get it?

You don’t have to do anything to get the payment.

It will be given out automatically – but there’s eligibility criteria for it.

You will need to be on eligible benefits or have begun a successful claim which is later, as of May 25 2022 to get the first payment.

If you have a joint claim with a partner, both of you will get one payment of £650.

£400 energy bill grant

The £400 energy bill grant will replace current plans for a £200 energy rebate, which households were told they would have to pay back over five years.

Originally, the £200 discount was to be dished out to households in October.

Repayments were to be automatically taken from people’s bills in £40 instalments from April next year.

Now EVERY household will get a £400 grant which you WON’T have to pay back through higher energy bills in later years.

How do I get it?

The £400 discount will be dished out automatically to all households in England, Scotland and Wales.

It means you don’t have to apply for the grant to get it.

The help will be given out to households via their energy supplier from October – it will be paid in instalments over the successive six months.

Direct debit and credit customers will see their money credited to their account.

While customers with pre-payment meters will have the money added to their meter, or they will receive a voucher.

£300 cost of living payment for pensioners

Either in November or December, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” will be dished out to eight million households.

It will be given to those who receive the Winter Fuel Payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 that those over state pension age get already.

The £300 help will be paid on top of this support – which means eligible households will see their payments double this winter.

How do I get it?

Payments will be made directly to eligible households.

That means you don’t have to do anything in order to get the support – if you are eligible for it.

You are eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment if:

• you were born on or before 26 September 1955
• you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 20 to 26 September 2021 – this is called the ‘qualifying week’

You can check out further information on eligibility for the Winter Fuel payment in our handy explainer.

For most pensioner households, the help will be paid via a direct debit payment.

£150 disability payment

Six million people with disabilities will receive £150 in September.

This is to help them pay for any energy intensive equipment they have, which could be driving up their bills.

Many disability benefit recipients also get means tested benefits – so this £150 sum is separate to the £650 payment you’ll get.

And like the £650 cash boost, the £150 help will be exempt from tax, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.

How do I get it?

Payments will be made directly by the government to eligible households.

You qualify for the help if you have, or have begun, a successful claim for the following benefits as of May 25 2022:

• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Scottish Disability Benefits
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• War Pension Mobility Supplement

Here’s all the key dates you’ll receive all the cost of living payments.

Mr Sunak also announced an extra £500million for the Household Support Fund – here’s how to claim the help.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk