Universal Credit news latest — Major announcement reveals which benefits WON’T receive £301 cash help from next week

Free debt advice

If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they 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.

What are Universal Credit and benefits deductions?

Money can be taken directly out of your benefits payments to pay off any debts.

This is sometimes called “third party deductions” or, for gas and electricity payments, Fuel Direct.

Deductions are applicable and can be requested with the following income-based benefits:

Thousands of households can get up to £1,000 free cash direct to bank accounts within days

Thousands of households can get up to £1,000 in free cash direct to their bank accounts via the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The scheme is provided by the Department for Work and Pensions and has been created to help support vulnerable households throughout England.

The pot of cash has been shared between councils in England – those councils then decide how to distribute their share of the fund among residents.

That means what you can get depends on where you live but, in most cases, help is offered to households on benefits or a low income.

For example, residents living in Torridge can get thousands of pounds in support.

There isn’t a set limited on how much people can get, but struggling households could get anywhere between £600 and £1,000.

If you don’t live in Torridge, check with your local council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.

To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.

Can I work while on Universal Credit?

The government says that the flagship welfare system has been designed to help people get back into work.

This means you can work as many hours as you want while claiming benefits but it may reduce the amount you get.

This is due to your wages will be subject to the taper rate: for every £1 you earn, your Universal Credit payment will go down 55p.

If you’ve got a job and a child who is dependent on you or you can’t work due to an illness then you might be entitled to a work allowance.

This is the amount you can earn every month before the taper rate kicks in.

If you get help with your housing costs then this will be set at £344, or £573 if you don’t.

If you don’t get a work allowance then all of your salary is subject to the taper rate.

What temperature to run your washing machine at to save money

To save on your energy bills, experts suggest lowering the temperature at which you wash clothes.

You’ll still be getting fresh and clean clothes if you switch from a 40C wash to a 30C one and it could save you £12 a year on average, according to Energy Saving Trust.

If you use your washing machine a lot, you’ll save even more if you lower the temperature.

Uswitch energy expert Will Owen previously told The Sun: “Use a cold water or 30C cycle where possible. It’s only for particularly dirty clothes, bad stains or underwear that you are likely to need warmer temperatures.”

Get money for your antiques with Vintage Cash Cow

Vintage Cash Cow is a great way to earn some cash by selling your old things.

Here’s how to get started:

• Box it: While you wait for your postage pack, examine every corner of your home for unloved treasures. Place everything in a suitable box ready to go.
• Send it: Check the weight of your box is no more than 30kg using your bathroom scales. Then seal it and attached your free postage label and drop off at your nearest Post Office or arrange a home collection.
• Sell it: An expert valuer will review your box contents and will call you with a fair price for everything within three working days.

You can accept the offer and receive the money within 24 hours, or decline the offer and have your items safely returned for free.

Cost of living latest news:

Martin Lewis will be back on Good Morning Britain tomorrow for Wallet Wednesday

Martin Lewis will return to screens tomorrow to answer all your money questions.

The money saving expert will be back on Good Morning Britain covering topics such as minimum wage rights and cash from switching banks.

Having your fridge freezer in the wrong place could be adding to your energy bills

The way your fridge freezer is positioned in your home could be adding to your energy bills.

As it turns out, not leaving enough space around your appliance could decrease energy efficiency by 15% – and ramp up your bills.

That’s the equivalent of adding an extra £75 onto bills by the end of the year.

Nicholas Auckland, heating and energy expert from Trade Radiators said: “Many factors can affect the efficiency of the fridge, including how full it is, what temperature it’s set to and even the types of food and material of the containers used inside.

“One certainly is that the position of the fridge in the room and how near or far away it is to other appliances has an impact on how hard it has to work and the annual cost of running it.

“A poorly located fridge, next to heat sources like ovens and radiators, positioned in direct sunlight or fitted in a space with inadequate ventilation around it, can be costing you more money than it should.

“We estimate up to £75 annually, based on the current price cap.”

Households are adding an extra £500 million to their energy bills each year by one simple mistake

Households are adding an extra £514 million pounds to their energy bills each year by making one simple mistake.

A study of 2,000 adults found most households (86%) are guilty of leaving an average of eight items on standby at any one time – with TVs, microwaves and washing machines being among the biggest offenders.

This is costing an extra £20 a year, or £513,766,000 across all UK households, which generates more carbon emissions than two million return flights from London to Spain.

Find out more, including the average Brit’s energy use here.

Universal Credit calculators

Trying to work out how much Universal Credit you can get can be overwhelming.

If you need help working out how much you may be entitled to, the good news is there are a number of free calculators that you can use to help make the process easier and provide you with an estimate.

These include:

Major high street bank giving customers £200 for free

HSBC is giving new customers free cash if they switch to the provider.

The bank is offering customers £200 if they switch from a different provider to either its HSBC UK Advance or Premier Bank accounts.

The offer is available now and there is currently no end date in sight.

Any customers who choose to switch will need to do so using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) to qualify for the £200 cash.

Find out if you are eligible here.

People on Universal Credit and benefits can slash key household bill

Those on Universal Credit and legacy benefits can get cheaper bills by filling in a simple form – and here’s how.

Benefit claimants can save up to £256 a year on their broadband bills if they take out little-known social broadband tariffs.

Posting on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group, one person said: “Lots of people maybe already know this but I only recently found out so this is for others like me who didn’t know.

“A lot of companies are offering cheaper broadband for people on Universal Credit and Pension Credit but not for those on legacy benefits waiting to be migrated over to Universal Credit.

“Did a web search and came across Vodafone which have an essentials package for just £12 per month.

“Not only can those on legacy benefits like working tax credits apply but also those claiming PIP.

“You fill out a form online then they call you a few days later to check you’re eligible and take your details.”

Find out more here.

Five top tips to avoid wasting diesel and petrol while driving

With the cost of living crisis continuing to take a toll, the increased cost of fuel is a concern for most drivers.

Handily, insurance experts at A-Plan Insurance have rounded up five tips to help motorists avoid wasting fuel unnecessarily while driving.

• Watch your speed
• Watch your gears
• Remove weight and reduce drag
• Maintain your tyres
• Avoid travel hotspots

You can find more details on each of the above top tips here.

How do you log in to Universal Credit?

Universal Credit claimants can see their online account by logging in via the gov.uk website.

You’ll need your username and password – which are the same ones you had to set up when you first applied for benefits.

If you have forgotten your login details, you can put in a request to reset your username or password by entering your email address.

If you have an online Universal Credit account, you can also sign in via gov.uk verify.

In a worse case scenario, you can always try calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644 (Textphone: 0800 328 1344).

You can also get in contact via NGT text relay on 18001 then 0800 328 5644.

There’s a Welsh language helpline available on 0800 328 1744 too.

How to know if you need Universal Credit?

Universal Credit combines a number of benefits into one monthly payment.

It replaces: Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Working Tax Credit.

People who are already receiving these benefits will be transferred to Universal Credit between now and 2024 in a move known as managed migration.

The payment is made up of a standard allowance and any extra amounts that apply to you, for example if you:

• Have children
• Have a disability or health condition which prevents you from working
• Need help paying your rent

You can use a benefits calculator to see how much you could get.

Find out more about what Universal Credit is and whether you might be eligible for a claim.

The more you earn the less you’ll get, because of the taper system – here’s how it works.

Universal Credit claimants often struggle with the five-week wait for payments, but you can get an advance.

How to reduce the cost of your supermarket shop

At a time when prices are sky high, households will be looking for ways to cut costs on their supermarket shop where they can.

Here we share a number of savvy saving tips to help you cut the cost at the till – and save some much-needed cash.

• Know when to shop – Heading to the shops when products are marked down and bright yellow discount stickers are applied can save a fair bit of cash.
• Hunt for yellow sticker bargains – You should also keep an eye out for yellow stickers to get the best food bargains.
• Make the most of loyalty schemes – Here we revealed the best and worst supermarket loyalty schemes including Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
• Shop wonky – Strange-shaped fruit and vegetables taste the same but cost less.
• Make a list – One of the most common mistakes shoppers make is going out underprepared.

What is pension credit?

Pension credit is designed to boost your income if you’re over the state pension age and on a low income.

On top of the government’s cost of living payment, pension credit also makes you eligible for other support such as the Warm Home Discount scheme worth £150 a year and help with council tax.

The benefit could be worth more than £3,300 a year.

What is the Household Support Fund?

The Household Support Fund was launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid a cost of living crisis.

Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.

The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.

But you may be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or to cover the costs of your weekly grocery shop.

If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.

And, you do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.

Find out more here.

The clever travel trick to grab a holiday bargain as airfares rise

Holiday makers can grab a bargain this summer thanks to a brand-new feature introduced by flight comparison website Skyscanner.

With airfares on the rise, many are looking to find creative and reliable ways to cut back on flight prices and save some much needed cash.

Dubbed the ‘savings generator’, the new tool is designed to help travellers nab the cheapest flights.

As reported by Conde Nast Traveller, the feature helps customers identify the best times to book a flight as well as the best day to fly.

Jemma Porter of Skyscanner said: “According to our research, 19 per cent of people think that the cost of flights is the most important consideration when booking a trip.

“So, we’re putting our data to good use by helping you find the best time to book.”

How do I take my complaint to the Energy Ombudsman?

The Energy Ombudsman may be able to help if you have a complaint about an energy or communications provider.

Before you can submit your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.

You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

You can also complain if you haven’t had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.

The Energy Ombudsman then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.

If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier then has 28 days to comply.

The Ombudsman’s decisions are binding on the energy company.

If your supplier refuses to follow the instruction, the Ombudsman may get in touch with Ofgem to remedy the situation – but there’s no set time period for escalating issues to the regulator and it’s not up to the customer.

If an individual chooses not to accept the Ombudsman’s final decision, they lose the right to the resolution offer.