HUNDREDS of Brits can get help with bills thanks to a new fund worth £3.5million being shared out to those struggling.
Cancer charity Macmillan has made the cash grants available to those living with cancer.
1
It comes as millions face a cost of living crisis with food and energy bills among rises that are hitting people’s pockets.
Millions of Brits are being sent new bills that layout how much more they will be paying for gas and electric from April when the price cap on bills rises by nearly £700.
Macmillan has committed the extra cash to its Financial Grants scheme, which has already dished out £1.6million since the start of the year.
The grants are there to help support those living with cancer and who are struggling to cover essential living costs.
The charity says that four out of five diagnosed with the disease experience financial difficulties, as it can affect income and lead to extra costs.
For example those undergoing treatment often encounter higher energy costs already as they need to keep warm.
Most read in Money
Anyone living with cancer and who needs help with bills and other essentials can apply for the grant.
It’s worth up to £350 and is a one-off payment that is means-tested.
It means both the following need to apply to be eligible:
- You have no more than £6,000 in savings for a household of one person or no more than £8,000 for a household of two or more people
- You have a weekly income of no more than £323 per week for a household of one person or no more than £442 per week for a household of two or more people.
Benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance (AA) do not count towards income for this.
To apply you can call 0808 808 00 00 or you can speak to one of your healthcare team, like a district nurse or Macmillan nurse, care professional or benefits adviser who can fill in the form with you online.
If your application is approved you’ll get the payment directly into your bank account or by cheque.
Other grants you can get if you’re struggling with bills
There are around 8,000 charities and organisations in the UK that offer cash to help struggling families.
Turn2Us has a free grants search tool so you can find out what help is available to you.
You’ll need to search for what’s available specifically in your area by entering your postcode.
Next, you’ll be asked to give details about yourself, such as your name and gender.
You can also go into more depth by telling Turn2Us about your current health and employment situation.
Once you’ve found a grant you think you’re eligible for, you can put in an inquiry through Turn2Us.
You’ll need to be logged into your Turn2Us account to apply – if you don’t have one it’s free to sign up.
If you’re successful, you’ll usually be allowed to spend the money on whatever you need to, but cash is usually provided for essentials and bills.
Meanwhile, others are provided to help pay for white goods, which could be handy if your fridge of freezer has given up.
It’s also worth checking you’re getting all the benefit’s you’re entitled to, especially if you’ve had a change of circumstances.
The quickest way to see what benefits you may be able to claim is to use one of the three benefit calculators recommended by Gov.uk.
Each one is free to use. They are:
What help can I get with energy bills?
If you’re specifically struggling with energy bills then there’s help available, whether you’re facing cancer or not.
In the first instance it’s best to speak to your supplier directly if you are struggling to pay your bill or are worried about falling behind.
It’s best to do this sooner rather than later as failed direct debit payments could cost you extra and affect your credit score.
Many suppliers run their own schemes offering help, or have charitable trusts to help pay arrears.
British Gas Energy Trust, for example, runs a scheme where anyone can apply for a grant, and you don’t even have to be a customer.
Other firms that offer grants just to their customers include:
Your local council may also be able to help with cash and grants if you are struggling with bills through the Household Support Scheme
The winter fuel payment scheme, where those getting the state pension can get between £100 and £300 to offset the cost of keeping their homes warm.
Low income households can get £25 a week to help with energy bills during the winter thanks to the cold weather payment scheme too.
The warm home discount scheme means you can a £140 payment that goes toward your heating costs – but you need to act quick as this scheme has already closed at most energy suppliers.
You could be eligible for a budgeting loan if you’ve been on certain benefits for six months.
But while this can help cover some costs like if your boiler breaks down and you need to replace it, or you need to buy new energy appliances, like a washing machine or tumble dryer, you will need to pay the money back.
So check the other non-repayable help you could get first.
If you’re worried about paying bills, falling behind or are in debt, there are plenty of organisations where you can seek advice for free, including:
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team?
