Добавить новость
smi24.net
News in English
Октябрь
2024

Full list of cost of living payments you can apply for now

0

MILLIONS of households can apply for cost of living payments worth thousands of pounds this winter.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in her maiden Budget today the Household Support Fund will be extended from 2025.

AFP
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered the Government’s budget today[/caption]
Getty
Millions of households can get help paying their bills this winter[/caption]

The National Minimum and National Living wages will also be hiked from next April.

It came as Ms Reeves pledged to “protect working people” from the high cost of living.

The “trick and treat” Halloween package unveiled by the Chancellor today included:

But with energy bills increasing by £149 a year this month under the current Ofgem price cap and the cost of living still a struggle for millions, you may be keen to know what help is available now.

The current round of the Household Support Fund has only just opened while energy firms are offering a range of support to struggling customers.

Additionally, prepayment meter vouchers and cold weather payments will support those who are in financial need.

Here is all the help you can get NOW.

Household Support Fund

Households who are struggling to afford to pay for energy, water, food or essential items may be able to get help from their local council through the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The scheme was first launched in 2021 and is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.

It was extended in September to give thousands of families the opportunity to get extra support.

The current round of funding ends in April 2025 and applications are being accepted by many local authorities.

But whether you are eligible and the amount of money you may receive will depend on where you live.

However, some families have been given up to £500 from the fund.

How you will receive the cash can also vary as some councils will offer support via bank transfer, shopping voucher or another way.

Cornwall Council is giving pensioners who received Council Tax Support on October 21, 2024, £80.

Meanwhile, West Berkshire Council is giving eligible households direct cash payments worth up to £300 as well as cash to pensioners.

What water bill support is available?

IT'S always worth checking if you qualify for a discount or extra support to help pay your water bill.

Over two million households who qualify to be on discounted social water tariffs aren’t claiming the savings provided, according to the Consumer Council for Water (CCW).

Only 1.3million households are currently issued with a social water tariff – up 19% from the previous year.

And the average household qualifying for the discounted water rates can slash their bills by £160 a year.

Every water company has a social tariff scheme which can help reduce your bills if you’re on a low income and the CCW is calling on customers to take advantage before bills rise in April.

Who’s eligible for help and the level of support offered varies depending on your water company.

Most suppliers also have a pot of money to dish out to thousands of customers who are under pressure from rising costs – and you don’t have to pay it back.

These grants can be worth hundreds of pounds offering a vital lifeline when faced with daunting water bills.

The exact amount you can get depends on where you live and your supplier, as well as your individual circumstances.

Many billpayers across the country could also get help paying off water debts through a little-known scheme and even get the balance written off.

Companies match the payments eligible customers make against the debt on their account to help clear it sooner.

If you’re on a water meter but find it hard to save water as you have a large family or water-dependent medical condition, you may be able to cap your bills through the WaterSure scheme.

Bills are capped at the average amount for your supplier, so the amount you could save will vary.

The Consumer Council for Water estimates that bills are reduced by £307 on average through the scheme.

Plus Reading Borough Council is handing out food vouchers to families whose children are on free school meals or pupil premium.

Around 3,900 households are expected to receive the vouchers, which will be sent from December and are worth £125 per household.

To find out what you may be able to claim visit your local council’s website.

You can find your local council by using the Government’s council locator tool.

Energy grants

Most energy suppliers offer grants to help families struggling to pay their bill to clear their energy debt.

These include British Gas, E.ON Next, EDF, Octopus, Ovo and Scottish Power.

Crucial to claim Pension Credit if you can

HUNDREDS of thousands of pensioners are missing out on Pension Credit.

The Sun’s Assistant Consumer Editor Lana Clements explains why it’s imperative to apply for the benefit..

Pension Credit is designed to top up the income of the UK’s poorest pensioners.

In itself the payment is a vital lifeline for older people with little income.

It will take weekly income up to to £218.15 if you’re single or joint income to £332.95.

Yet, an estimated 800,000 don’t claim this support. Not only are they missing on this cash, but far more extra support that is unlocked when claiming Pension Credit.

With the winter fuel payment – worth up to £300 now being restricted to pensioners claiming Pension Credit – it’s more important than ever to claim the benefit if you can.

Pension Credit also opens up help with housing costs, council tax or heating bills and even a free TV licence if you are 75 or older.

All this extra support can make a huge difference to the quality of life for a struggling pensioner.

It’s not difficult to apply for Pension Credit, you can do it up to four months before you reach state pension age through the government website or by calling 0800 99 1234.

You’ll just need your National Insurance number, as well as information about income, savings and investments.

The British Gas Energy Trust is available to British Gas and non-British Gas customers.

To be able to claim you need to have between £50 and £1,700 of energy debt.

You can only claim a grant from the trust every two years.

If your application is successful the money will be applied to your energy account.

Meanwhile, EDF’s customer support fund slices an average of £1,250 off customers’ bills.

Whether you are eligible and the amount you can get will depend on your supplier and your financial situation.

Contact your energy supplier to see what help you can get.

WATCH RACHEL REEVES ON NEVER MIND THE BALLOTS

By Ryan Sabey, Deputy Political Editor

RACHEL Reeves will be grilled in a special Budget edition of The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show today.

Our Political Editor Harry Cole will put the Chancellor on the spot shortly after she’s finished delivering her crucial address in the House of Commons.

It will be available to watch on thesun.co.uk, YouTube and Sun social channels at 5.30pm.

Topics will include her decision on whether to spare motorists a fuel duty rise, and the expected eye-watering tax rises she will impose.

Since its launch earlier this year, NMTB has cemented its place at the heart of British politics.

During the General Election campaign The Sun was the only print publisher to host back-to-back grillings of Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.

Footage from The Election Showdown has been viewed over 15 million times.

NMTB has also featured interviews with ex-PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, as well as senior politicians Nigel FarageJames CleverlyWes StreetingSteve Reed and Bridget Phillipson

Winter fuel payment

A rule change this year means that only retirees on pension credit and several other means-tested benefits will get a winter fuel payment this year.

Only households claiming the following benefits will receive the payments and do not need to apply for the payment:

  • Pension credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Income support
  • Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related employment support allowance (ESA)
  • Child tax credit
  • Working tax credit

Only those living abroad who meet certain conditions must apply for the cash this winter.

You can check if you are eligible on the government website.

If you live alone you will get £200 if you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958.

This climbs to £300 if you were born before September 23, 1944.

If you live with a partner and you both jointly claim any of the benefits one of you will get £200 if one or both of you were born between September 23, 1944 and September 22, 1958.

Or £300 if one or both of you were born before September 23, 1944.

Most payments will be made automatically in November or December.

You should get a letter telling you how much money you will get and which bank account it will be paid into.

If you do not receive a letter or the cash has not been paid into your account by January 29, 2025 then you should contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.

Cold weather payments

Cold weather payments are made to the most vulnerable households to help pay for extra heating costs when temperatures drop.

To be eligible for the payment you must receive one of the following benefits: 

  • Pension Credit
  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Universal Credit
  • Support for Mortgage Interest

You will get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as or forecast to be zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days.

You will receive £25 for every week of very cold weather between November 1 2024 and March 31 2025.

That means in some circumstances you can get payments worth £50 or £75 if weather stays cold for long enough.

Christmas bonus

The Christmas Bonus is a one-off £10 payment which is paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week.

This is normally the first full week of December.

The payment is tax-free and will not affect any other benefits you receive.

You must present or “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during this week.

You need to also get at least one of the following benefits during this week:

  • Adult Disability Payment
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Carer Support Payment
  • Child Disability Payment
  • Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
  • Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
  • Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
  • Mobility Supplement
  • Pension Credit – the guarantee element
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
  • Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
  • Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
  • War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
  • War Widow’s Pension
  • Widowed Mother’s Allowance
  • Widowed Parent’s Allowance
  • Widow’s Pension

You do not need to claim the payment, it should be paid into your bank account automatically.

Look out for the code DWP XB on your bank statement.

Prepayment meter voucher

If you need to top up your prepayment meter but cannot afford to do so then you could get temporary credit from your supplier, which you will have to pay back.

Most suppliers will offer up to £20 if you run out of cash and can’t top up straight away to make sure you don’t go without heating or lighting.

If you do top up this amount will be deducted from your payment.

If you have not topped up for a period of time you may also owe standing charges, which is a daily flat fee for having energy use which is separate to your usage.

Contact your local council, food bank or Citizens Advice for help.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories








Эксперт по антиквариату и сервировке Регина ван Влит: как отличить антиквариат от ненужного старья

Питчинг Релиза. Отправить релиз на Питчинг.

Желдорреммаш подводит итоги работы за первое полугодие 2025 года

Сеть клиник «Будь Здоров» открыла первый травмпункт сети на базе клиники на Сретенке


Dear Abby: Our son was clean and fit until Emily came along

Weah’s agent: One Juventus director ‘is creating problems’

Today in History: July 28, US Army airplane crashes into Empire State Building

Chat log from R20 of 2025: Richmond vs Collingwood


Эксперт по антиквариату и сервировке Регина ван Влит: как отличить антиквариат от ненужного старья

Деревенские прогулки...

Российское юр. лицо Microsoft подало заявление о банкротстве

Под Орлом автомобиль врезался в земляной вал: водитель в больнице


Today's Wordle answer for Monday, July 28

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 movie gets its first full trailer for Comic-Con, promising even more animatronic terror

Bloody fighting game Invincible VS gets its most brutal character yet in Comic-Con trailer

Fretless — The Wrath of Riffson — музыка спасёт мир. Рецензия



Александр Михайлов (GSOC): «Безопасность IT-экосистемы — это зона нулевого доверия к подрядчикам»

Клиника гнатологии – лечение ВНЧС и восстановление прикуса

От «Лебединого озера» до «Дон Кихота»: Relax FM приглашает на балет

Чемпионат по военно-спортивному многоборью среди росгвардейцев завершился в Грозном


"112" показал фото с места обвала скальной породы на отдыхающих в Кисловодске

"Москва": около 15 рабочих заблокированы в задымленном доме на севере столицы

США лишили Путина чёрного пояса: Расплата пришла быстро. Китай — об изощренной мести Кремля

Александр Михайлов (GSOC): «Безопасность IT-экосистемы — это зона нулевого доверия к подрядчикам»


Зоя Панкратова: «Шеф в деле» – это про нас

Генпрокуратура РФ направила в суд дело о хищении 519 млн рублей из ПФР

Дмитрий Егорченков и Евгений Спицын. Как создавался и почему исчез Советский Союз?

Модель Лопырева отметила 42-летие в компании мужа, с которым едва не развелась


Теннисистка Калинская после победы в США дала послематчевое интервью с собакой

«Легли поздно». Медведев — о походе на концерт The Weeknd с Рублёвым и Хачановым

«Краснодар» — «Локо», UFC и матч Калинской: что посмотреть сегодня

Александр Бублик выиграл 2-й подряд турнир ATP


Соловьева: Город обязал предпринимателя закрыть нелегальный хостел в Замоскворечье

Станция "Достоевская" Кольцевой линии метро готова на четверть - Собянин

Минздрав сообщил о расширении списка неонатального скрининга.

Коростелев выиграл гонку на чемпионате России по лыжероллерам


Музыкальные новости

В Италии поднимается огромная общественная волна в поддержку Гергиева

Классика лечит: как Моцарт и Бетховен заменяют таблетки

Келли Осборн вспомнила один из трогательных моментов с Оззи Осборном

Варвава Визбор рассказала об особом отношении к деду Юрию Визбору


Александр Михайлов (GSOC): «Безопасность IT-экосистемы — это зона нулевого доверия к подрядчикам»

Чемпионат по военно-спортивному многоборью среди росгвардейцев завершился в Грозном

От «Лебединого озера» до «Дон Кихота»: Relax FM приглашает на балет

Клиника гнатологии – лечение ВНЧС и восстановление прикуса


В День парашютиста героем рубрики «Знай наших» стал сотрудник вневедомственной охраны столичного главка Росгвардии младший лейтенант полиции Александр С.

ЦБ готовится к новому решению: как изменится ключевая ставка и что ждет рынок недвижимости

«Россети Центр» повышают надежность работы трансформаторных подстанций в Смоленской области

Паркинг ЖК «Veren Place Одесская» вошел в тройку лучших по версии летнего конкурса ТОП ЖК–2025


Культовый BAW 212 уже в России

Где живут и на чем ездят самые аварийные водители России?

Сотрудники ОМОН Росгвардии помогли пострадавшему в ДТП на МКАД

В Москве 2 будет ограничено движение автомобилей


Путин поделился достижениями России в области технологий искусственного интеллекта.

Путин сделал шутку о системе "Оплата с помощью улыбки".

Греф представил Путину отчет о деятельности Сбербанка.

Володин сообщил о интеграции парламента в стратегию развития России под руководством Путина.


Новый штамм COVID-19 переносится как легкая форма ОРВИ


Депутата ЗакСа Ленобласти Ивана Апостолевского задержали за пост с Навальным*


Врач-косметолог Мадина Осман: что такое липофилинг и кому он может быть показан

Медицинские справки для школьников в центре ВИТА

Клиника гнатологии – лечение ВНЧС и восстановление прикуса

Сеть клиник «Будь Здоров» открыла первый травмпункт сети на базе клиники на Сретенке


Кто заставил Зеленского предложить России новый раунд переговоров: В Британии показали пальцем

Чтобы убрать Зеленского, США достаточно показать ему одну папку: вот почему Киев упал в ноги Трампу


«Краснодар» и московское «Динамо» проведут сегодня первые матчи в Кубке России

Сотрудница подразделения столичного главка Росгвардии завоевала «золото» на чемпионате войск по легкоатлетическому кроссу

Чемпионат по военно-спортивному многоборью среди росгвардейцев завершился в Грозном

Чемпионат по военно-спортивному многоборью среди росгвардейцев завершился в Грозном


Лукашенко взял на контроль ситуацию с уничтожением БПЛА над Минском

В Минске готовы активизировать сотрудничество с Эфиопией

Лукашенко сообщил о телефонном разговоре с Путиным


Собянин рассказал о тестировании уникальной ИИ-системы для диагностики инсульта

Собянин рассказал, как строят станцию «Достоевская» Кольцевой линии метро

Мэр Москвы рассказал о развитии бывшей промзоны «Кирпичные улицы»

Станция "Достоевская" Кольцевой линии метро готова на четверть - Собянин


В Ростокине расскажут о млекопитающих Москвы

Число пострадавших от непогоды автомобилей растет

В Бузулукском бору в эти дни работает смена проекта «Заповедное дело РГО»

Александр Михайлов (GSOC): «Безопасность IT-экосистемы — это зона нулевого доверия к подрядчикам»


В Кисловодске возбудили уголовное дело после обвала грунта в санатории

Станция "Достоевская" Кольцевой линии метро готова на четверть - Собянин

ББР Банк вошел в ТОП-30 по приросту и ТОП-100 по объему средств физлиц

Соловьева: Город обязал предпринимателя закрыть нелегальный хостел в Замоскворечье


В Архангельске представили киноальманах «Север, я люблю тебя!» по произведениям современных писателей

В Архангельске с 29 июля перекрывается движение по участку набережной Северной Двины

Деревенские прогулки...

Не чайные клиперы


Прогноз погоды в Крыму на 27 июля

В Севастополе пройдет масштабная выставка картин Александра Дейнеки

В Крыму из-за дыма от пожара столкнулись девять автомобилей

Сколько пассажиров прибывают в Крым летом на поездах ежедневно


"Евраз" намерен создать публичную компанию и выйти на Мосбиржу в 2026 году

Зоя Панкратова: «Шеф в деле» – это про нас

Синоптик Позднякова рассказала, когда жара оставит Москву

Модель Лопырева отметила 42-летие в компании мужа, с которым едва не развелась














СМИ24.net — правдивые новости, непрерывно 24/7 на русском языке с ежеминутным обновлением *