With energy bills, council tax and water bills all on the rise – plus the cost of phones and broadband going up – most households are feeling the squeeze.
So what government help is available, who is eligible for it and do you need to apply?
Here’s what you need to know.
‘Up to £900’ cost of living payment
This was announced by the Chancellor in his Autumn statement, and will apply to more than eight million eligible, means-tested people, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Those eligible will be on least one of the following benefits:
Exact dates and amounts are yet to be announced but the payments are expected to be made in three roughly equal amounts:
- £301 in Spring 2023
- £300 in Autumn 2023
- £299 in Spring 2024
It will be paid direct into bank accounts and there is no need to apply. The DWP’s website states that payments will be means-tested and will be ‘up to £900’. The amounts vary slightly to enable to DWP to keep track of payments more easily and reduce fraud.
£150 payment for disabled people
More than six million disabled people who are in receipt of an ‘eligible disability benefit’ will receive a one-off payment of £150.
This will be paid during Summer 2023.
Further details about which disability benefits will qualify in 2023 are yet to be confirmed but they are expected to include:
There is no need to apply, as the Disability Cost of Living Payment will be made into bank accounts automatically.
£300 payment for pensioners
Any pensioners who were entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment – that’s anyone born before September 26, 1956 – will receive an additional amount of £300 per household this winter. That’s around eight million people.
Those eligible for this Pensioner Cost of Living Payment should already have received the Winter Fuel Payment. If you didn’t, and think you should have done, you can check here to see if you need to make a claim. The deadline for claiming the Winter Fuel Payment 2023/23 is March 31, 2023.
The £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment will be made during the winter of 2023/4.
All these cost of living payments will be tax-free, will not impact any existing benefits and won’t count towards the government’s benefit cap.
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