PLENTY of Brits are feeling the pinch as prices rise and bills soar.
Everyone’s wallets are starting to feel uncomfortably lighter – no thanks to energy bills rocketing by 54% last month, meanwhile supermarkets peddle pricey products on the shop floor.
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Fuel has gone up making the commute to the office, or dropping the kids off at school, a costly chore.
And even higher taxes have hit hundreds of workers too.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any help out there for those struggling the most.
As the cost of living crisis bites, families and more need all the aid they can get.
Here’s where you can score some extra savings, worth thousands of pounds – and it’s lucky sevens all round as we reveal seven ways to make almost £7k.
Council tax rebate – worth £150
Thousands of homes have already started receiving their rebate of £150 on their council tax bill.
The money is part of a £9.1billion package of support from the government.
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Your home has to be in council tax bands A to D to be eligible though – check which band you’re in using the government’s website.
If you pay your council tax by Direct Debit, you’ll receive the cash automatically.
If you don’t, you may have to wait longer to get it.
But the good news is that the money will not have to be paid back.
You can see all the areas set to receive their rebates in just DAYS in our round-up.
Council tax discount – up to £1,898
As well as the Council tax rebate, you could get money-off your bill in the first place.
Some households on low incomes could be eligible for a discount.
In some cases you could even get your bill reduced to zero and with the average bill for a band D home at £1,898, that could save a significant sum.
To find out if you’re eligible and apply you’ll need to contact your local council – you can find yours using the gov.uk tool, just enter your postcode.
Energy supplier grant – up to £750
Energy suppliers will offer cash grants to those hardest hit by bill rises.
British Gas customers for example, can apply for a £750 grant to help with their energy bills.
But the amount can vary according to your supplier and your circumstances.
If you’re on benefits or have a low income you could qualify. Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply.
Plenty of suppliers have upped their offerings amid the cost of living crisis too.
For instance Shell Energy and British Gas have increased their own hardship funds to help customers.
And Octopus Energy has increased its financial hardship fund, Octo Assist, from £2.5million to £5million.
Energy bill discount – worth £200
The government has announced that every single household will get a £200 discount on their energy bill this year.
The help was announced at the same time as the Council tax rebate.
In a similar way, it will also be applied automatically, but not until October.
The only difference this time is that the money does have to be paid back, but it will be in the form of £40 added to annual bills over five years from next year.
Martin Lewis has explained how the scheme will work, but he’s dubbed it more like a levy than a loan.
Household support fund – worth £150
Local councils are giving out cash top help households struggling with bills and other essential costs.
How much you can get depends on where you live though.
The scheme was extended in March, so if you missed out last time, you’ve got another chance to apply.
For instance Runnymede council in Surrey was giving out £150 through the household support fund earlier this year.
To see what’s available where you are, and to apply, you’ll need to check with your local council.
You can search for yours using the search tool on gov.uk – just enter your postcode.
Healthy Start Vouchers – worth £442
Healthy start vouchers can help you cover the cost of fresh food and drink for your kids.
Particularly as prices on the supermarket shelves are sky high right now.
If you’re on a low income, the scheme could be help worth as much as £442 a year.
Each healthy start voucher is currently worth £4.25 a week, and over a year that adds up to £221.
It’s worth double that if you have a child under the age of one as you’ll be eligible for two vouchers each week, which is what could bring you to £442 in total.
There used to be paper vouchers that you’d have to hand over at the counter, but a recent shake-up means you get a prepaid card which automatically updates every four weeks.
Unclaimed benefits – up to £3,300
You could be missing out on unclaimed benefits worth whopping amounts too.
More than £15billion goes unclaimed from the Treasury in missing benefits each year, according to Which?.
If you have a low household income, you may be able to claim things like Universal Credit.
You can use free tools like online benefits calculators from charities such as Turn2Us to check whether you’re eligible for benefits, and which ones, and start claiming the cash help.
Pensioners, for example could be missing out on credit worth as much as £3,300 a year.
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