MILLIONS of households will get a welcome cash boost this year to help them with spiraling costs.
Several payments are being handed out over the coming months to help with the cost of living crisis.
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The much-needed cash will help households pay for rocketing energy bills, which are expected go up to more than £3,000 a year on average in October.
The cash includes a payment of up to £650, for anyone claiming Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits.
The payments will come in two instalments.
Over eight million households will receive the first of two cost of living instalments from today, Thursday July 14.
This payment will be £326, with the rest to follow in a second instalment from the autumn.
Every household in the UK will be given at least £400 to help cover spiralling energy bills, which are set to rise by hundreds of pounds more this winter.
Following a meeting with MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis, energy firms have said they will set out clear guidance for people to make sure they are getting the payment.
Pensioners will also get a helping hand with an extra £300 one-off payment during the coldest months.
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The average payout for each household will be £550 the government has said, but the total amount could be more or less than that depending on what you’re eligible for.
The most in need could get as much as £1,500 through the cost of living handouts.
The cash was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in May with the aim of helping millions deal with the cost of living.
Here are all the key dates for when you can expect to get your payments.
July
In July, more than eight million households will be paid the first chunk of their one-off £650 cash boost.
Those on the following means-tested benefits will get the cash: Universal Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), income support and Pension Credit.
The first lot of money is worth £326 and will be paid between today, July 14 and the end of the month, the government has now revealed.
Payments will go out automatically into the bank account claimants usually get their benefits, and will be separate to the usual amount you get.
To get the cash, you will need to be on eligible benefits or have begun a successful claim which is later, as of May 25 this year.
If you miss that date and claim Universal Credit after this then you could still be eligible for the second half of the payment later in the Autumn.
September
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.
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.
Autumn
In Autumn, households should expect to receive their second chunk of the £650 means-tested benefits cash boost.
The date for the second chunk worth £324 has yet to be confirmed for those on Universal Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), income support and Pension Credit.
Autumn is also when people on tax credits will get the first half of their £650 payments.
Working tax credits and child tax credit claimants are eligible for the cash, but will get it at a later date.
That’s to avoid people getting paid twice if they get other benefits on top of tax credits.
The first cost of living payment for those on tax credits, and not getting any DWP benefit, will go out from autumn 2022 and the second payment from winter 2022.
The exact dates for both payments have not been confirmed yet.
From October
Every household will start to benefit from a £400 energy bill discount from October onwards.
The energy discount will be dished out from this point, and payments will be given out in instalments over the successive six months.
It replaces a previous plan to give a £200 energy rebate, which households would have had to pay back.
The £400 discount is a grant you WON’T have to pay back through higher energy bills in later years which is good news for billpayers.
Customers paying their energy bill by direct debit should see the money credited to their account.
Those on pre-payment meters will have the money added to their meter, or they will receive a voucher.
November/December
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 already get the Winter Fuel Payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
The extra £300 help will be paid on top of this support which means some eligible households will see their payments double this winter.
You can check out if you are eligible for the Winter Fuel payment in our handy explainer.
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
