HOUSEHOLDS across the country are being hit hard by the rising cost of living this Christmas – but there is help available.
Plenty of discounts and schemes to help with energy bills have begun rolling out across the country in recent months.
We’ve listed all the help available for millions of households this winter
Energy bills were initially set to be frozen at £2,500 for the typical household for two years from October 2022.
However, from April 2023, the Energy Price Guarantee will instead increase to £3,000 for 12 months.
Further cost of living payments and benefits increases were also announced by the Chancellor during the Autumn Statement.
It comes as soaring energy bills and food prices have left millions needing support.
If you’re worried about paying energy bills for the Christmas period, we round what help is available.
Energy bill discount – worth £400
Millions of households started receiving a £400 energy bill discount from October 1.
The payment will be dished out by your energy supplier and will be split across six discounts between October and March next year.
Households will have already received a £66 energy bill discount in October, November and potentially December too.
There will also be a discount worth £67 in January, February and March.
We’ve listed how the leading energy suppliers plan will pay households.
British Gas, EDF Energy, Ovo Energy and Scottish Power plan to send the cash directly into customer bank accounts.
The way you’ll be paid will depend on how you pay for your energy.
If you’re on a credit meter or smart prepayment meter, the discount will come off your bills or be credited to your account automatically.
Those on traditional prepayment meters will receive the discount through a voucher.
Check with your supplier to confirm how you’ll receive the cash.
Warm Home Discount – worth £150
Millions of households will get a £150 discount on their energy bills between December and March 2023.
You’ll be eligible for the automatic discount if you received any of the following benefits up to August 21 this year:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Universal Credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credits
- Pension credit guaranteed
- Pension credit savings credit
The Department for Work and Pensions, which is overseeing the scheme, will have sent you a letter in October to confirm if you’ll get the payment later on in the year.
Payments for the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme began in December.
It’s up to individual energy companies to decide when they will give their customers the discount.
Cost of living payment – worth £650
Millions of households have been paid the first part of their £650 cost of living payment.
The payments aim to help hard-up households to help them with spiralling bills and essentials.
And those on the following benefits are eligible for the second payment worth £324:
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
Most people will have already received the second payment which began going out in November.
The cash will automatically land in the bank account that people use to receive their benefits.
But those receiving tax credits will be paid after November 23.
The government is paying tax credit claimants later than those getting DWP benefits like Universal Credit to avoid paying anyone twice.
Anyone who claims both types of the benefit – child tax credit and working tax credit – will have the payment made into the bank account where child tax credits are paid.
Pensioner Cost of Living Payment – worth £300
In November, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” was paid out to eight million households.
It was given to those who already get the Winter Fuel Payment, worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
To qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment and Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, the following must apply:
- You were born on or before 25 September 1956
- You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 – this is called the “qualifying week”.
Household support fund – worth £180
Local councils are giving out cash to help households struggling with bills and other essential costs.
How much you can get depends on where you live and in many areas.
To qualify you’ll usually need to be a recipient of council tax support.
For example, thousands of households in one area will get £180 in free cash before Christmas.
You can search for your council using the search tool on gov.uk – just enter your postcode.
Local councils also offer welfare assistance schemes all year round that can help you with bills.
Cold weather payments – £25 a week
Low-income households can get a £25 payment when temperatures plummet.
These cold weather payments have already been made in several locations where residents have experienced below-zero weather.
The payment is made automatically, including to those on Universal Credit, for each seven-day period of low temperatures between November 1 and March 31.
More than 280 postcodes have already got double cold weather payments due to freezing temperatures.
Energy grants – up to £1,500
There are plenty of energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you’re struggling.
British Gas has confirmed it’ll pay its most vulnerable customers grants worth £750 to help with sky-high bills.
And the British Gas Energy Trust pays hard-up households up to £1,500 – and it doesn’t matter if they’re not a British Gas customer.
Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply, or check here:
- British Gas Energy Trust
- Bulb energy fund
- EDF’s energy customer support fund
- E.on’s energy fund
- Octopus Energy Octo Assist fund
- Ovo’s debt and energy assistance
- Scottish Power’s hardship fund
There’s also a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier if you’re on a prepayment meter.
We’ve already listed the detailed eligibility criteria for each scheme.
