Cost of living support if you’re receiving means-tested benefits
Cost of Living Payment
If your household is on a low income and entitled to one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
you will receive a £650 Cost of Living Payment (split into two payments of £326 and £324). The one-off payment is awarded to households (not individuals) and should be made automatically, you won't need to apply.
Whether you're single or in a couple you will only get £650 as it's a payment for the household not the individual.
Cost of living support if you’re receiving the Winter Fuel Payment
Pensioner Cost of Living Payment
If you are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment (an automatic tax-free payment for people over pension credit age), you will receive a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. The payment will be made in November or December 2022.
The Pensioner Cost of Living Payment is an additional payment on top of the original Winter Fuel Payment amount. The total payment this winter will be between £250 and £600 per person, depending on age and circumstances.
You will not need to apply for the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment or Winter Fuel Payment, it will be made directly into your bank account.
Cold Weather Payment
You may also be entitled to the Cold Weather Payment if you receive certain benefits and the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0ºC or below over seven consecutive days.
You’ll get £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November 2022 and 31 March 2023.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off discount on your electricity bill, applied between between October and March. You might be eligible if you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit or you're on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme. The scheme will open in November 2022.
Wales Winter Fuel Support Scheme
You may be able to claim a one-off £200 cash payment from your local authority in addition to the winter fuel payment offered by the UK Government. The Wales Winter Fuel Support Scheme will be open to households in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits:
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credits
- Child Tax Credits
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Attendance Allowance
- Carers Allowance
- Contributory Benefits
- Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS)
Cost of living support if you’re receiving a disability benefit
Disability Cost of Living Payment
From September 2022 a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment will be made to people who were receiving, or claimed, one of the following qualifying benefits on 25 May 2022:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
You will not need to apply for the £150 cost of living payment, it will be made directly into your bank account.
Child Winter Heating Assistance
If you live in Scotland, Child Winter Heating Assistance is a benefit payment to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs. The payment for winter 2022-2023 is £214.10 and it is paid once a year.
Help for all households in winter 2022-23
Energy Bills Support Scheme
From 1 October 2022 the Energy Price Guarantee will ensure that a typical household in Great Britain pays an average £2,500 a year on their energy bill, for the next 2 years.
In addition, the Energy Bills Support Scheme will take £400 off the energy bills of all households with an electricity supply in England, Scotland and Wales, regardless of their income.
- If you are a metered or 'smart' pre-payment user this discount will be applied by energy suppliers as a discount of £66 in October and November, then a discount of £67 each month from December through to March 2023.
- If you have a pre-payment meter, you will receive discount vouchers for the same amounts at the start of each month, to be redeemed at your usual top-up point.
- If a landlord is responsible for paying the bill the payments should be passed on to you in some way.
The discount will be applied automatically; you do not need to apply for it and should never give your bank account details to receive it.
If you’re not receiving any benefits or need extra help
Contact your local authority
If you’re on a low income and struggling with essential costs, contact your local council to see what help might be available.
- In England, you may be eligible for a payment from the Household Support Fund
- In Wales, you might be able to apply to the Discretionary Assistance Fund
- In Scotland, enquire about a Crisis Grant or Community Care Grant
- In Northern Ireland, Discretionary Support or a Short-term Benefit Advance may be available.
You could also apply to your local council for Council Tax Reduction (also called Council Tax Support). Your bill could be reduced by up to 100% depending on the scheme your local council runs, your circumstances and your household income.
Contact your utility providers
Gas and electricity bill help
Many of the big gas and electricity energy firms provide grants to help their customers and people who are behind with payments.
- The British Gas Energy Trust is available to all energy users, not just British Gas customers. Grants are available to help you clear domestic gas and electricity debts.
- British Gas, EDF, E.on Next, Octopus Energy, Scottish Power, Shell Energy and Utility Warehouse have schemes to help their own customers with the costs of energy. MoneySavingExpert.com has a list of the energy bill grants available.
Phone and broadband bill help
If you are claiming benefits you may be able to apply for a cheaper social tariff for your broadband, landline or mobile. A list of telecomms social tariffs available is on the Ofcom website and a comparison of different social tariffs for broadband is on the MoneySavingExpert website.
Water bills help
Social tariffs are available If you are claiming benefits or on a low income you might be eligible for a cheaper social tariff from your water company. You may also be able to apply for debt support schemes, financial hardship funds to help you clear your bill or the WaterSure bill cap scheme. Speak to your water company or find out more about help with water costs on the CCW website.
Help with essential costs
Citizens Advice offers detailed guidance if you are struggling to afford essentials:
- Food
- Bills and rent
- Health costs
- Travel costs
- Education costs for children.
