HOUSEHOLDS claiming Universal Credit can get help with energy bills worth up to £3,225.
Energy bills will hit £3,549 for the average UK household in October and many will need to rely on extra cash support to get by this winter.
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The energy price cap rose will rise on October the first, adding an extra £1,578 on to the average annual bill.
If you’re on a low income and claim Universal Credit or older legacy benefits you could be entitled to thousands in support.
How much you’ll get will depend entirely on what benefits you receive and or if you’re in debt with your energy supplier.
We list what cash support you could get if you’re on Universal Credit and how to apply for it.
Energy supplier grant – up to £1,500
Energy suppliers offer cash grants to those hardest hit by bills rises.
British Gas has recently confirmed that it’ll pay its most vulnerable customers grants worth up to £750 to help with rocketing bills.
Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply, or check here:
If you’re on a prepayment meter you should be able get a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier.
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Call your energy supplier to find out the exact amount you could get.
Cost of living payment – £650
The government has paid most benefit claimants the first half of a £650 cost of living payment worth £326.
Those on tax credits should receive the first payment from September 2.
You must have been entitled, or later found to be entitled to any of the following benefits between April 26 and May 25 to get the cash:
- Universal credit
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Income support
- Pension credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credit
The money will be paid directly into your bank account.
The second instalment worth £324 is due to be paid in the winter, although the government is yet to confirm a specific month or date.
Energy bill discount scheme – £400
From October the first, all households will begin to receive a £400 energy bill discount.
The payment will be dished out by your energy supplier and will be split across six discounts between October and March next year.
Households will receive a £66 energy bill discount in October and November and a discount worth £67 in December, January, February and March.
We’ve listed how the leading energy suppliers plan to pay households the discount and are waiting on others to respond.
The way you’ll be paid will depend on how you pay for your energy.
Check with your supplier to confirm how you’ll receive the cash.
Pensioner cost of living payment – £300
A £300 one-off pensioner cost of living award will be paid out to eight million households from November.
It will be given to those who already get the winter fuel payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
You qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment if both the following apply:
- You were born on or before 25 September 1956
- You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 – this is called the ‘qualifying week’
If you receive the maximum winter fuel payment – your award will be effectively doubled.
You can check out if you are eligible for the winter fuel payment in our explainer.
Disability cost of living payment – £150
Millions of people on disability benefits are eligible to receive a one-off payment worth £150.
You can get the cash if you claim one of the following:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
You won’t have to apply for the discount if you’re eligible and the money will land in your bank account from September 20.
Warm home discount scheme – £150
Payments for the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme should begin from December.
You’ll be eligible for the automatic discount if you received any of the following benefits up to August 21 this year:
It’s up to energy companies when they will give the discount and people can check with their supplier.
You won’t need to apply for the scheme this year and you’ll receive a letter in the post in October confirming your eligibility.
If you’re unsure about who supplies your energy, you can find out through Find My Supplier.
Cold weather payment – up to £75
If temperatures plummet below zero, those in low income households can get a £25 payment.
The payment is made automatically, including to those on Universal Credit, for each seven day period of low temperatures between November 1 and March 31.
In the coldest areas, three £25 payments have been made in the past, adding up to £75 in total.
See if your postcode has qualified for a payment and make sure you got it if you were eligible.
Make sure you claim what you can
Millions of Brits are missing out on benefits they’re entitled to adding up to billions of pounds in total.
Benefit calculators can help you check what you could be entitled to.
There are several benefit checker tools you can use.
If you’re worried about falling behind on bills. there are plenty of organisations where you can get advice for free, including:
