This Christmas has seen many in the UK struggling to pay their bills due to rising costs. With more pressure than usual on finances in December with presents, travel and food and drink, many are wondering how they will cope in the coming weeks with soaring costs already leaving millions facing hardship this year.
The UK government has rolled out a number of cost of living payments to help those hardest hit by the cost crisis including a £650 cost of living payment for those on means-tested benefits, £150 for those with disabilities and £400 off energy bills for all homes.
But there is still some financial support available in December if you're struggling to pay bills. From discounts to gas and electric, cold weather payments and the annual Christmas bonus for universal credit claimants, here is all the money you could still get in the coming weeks to help with bills.
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Cold weather payments
Many households are due an automatic £25 payment thanks to the low temperatures. The cold weather payment scheme runs from November 1 to March 31 and means that people on pension credit, income support, and universal credit will receive an automatic £25 payment for every seven-day period in which the average temperatures in their area are below, or forecast to be below, zero degrees.
Last week's cold weather means a number of postcodes in Welsh qualified for the payment so it's worth checking if you're in line for some money. Temperatures could get cold in January too, which may see more areas triggered for a payment. You can check if your postcode qualifies for a payment here.
£400 off energy bills
The UK government is also continuing its scheme giving all households £400 off their energy bills over six months. £66 was taken off energy bills in October and November while in December, January, February, and March £67 will be deducted. You can read more about how the scheme works here.
If you pay direct debit and your bills normally go out before the 25th of each month the discount will handily come in time for Christmas. Many households will have already had their discount for December, but more will arrive in the coming days and the next one will be on the way in January.
Warm home discount
People on specific benefits who have low income and high energy use get £150 between October 2022 and March 2023 as part of the warm home discount. It is paid automatically and you will receive a letter to confirm you're getting it or asking you to phone a helpline and give more information first.
The payment is a one-off discount on your electricity bill but you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead if it's with the same supplier. Prepay and pay-as-you-go customers will get the payment in another way such as a voucher.
The amount of the discount has risen from £140 this year and the rules have been changed. People who receive the guarantee credit element of pension credit will continue to receive the payment automatically but now other eligible benefit claimants will also get it without needing to make a claim as they had to in the past. The money is being paid gradually between October and March, so you may get your money over Christmas. Find out more about the scheme here.
Non-repayable crisis grants
Help is also available through the Welsh Government's discretionary assistance fund (DAF) which provides two types of non-repayable grant. The first is the emergency assistance payment (EAP) which is a grant to help pay for essential costs, such as food, gas, electricity, clothing or emergency travel if you:
- are experiencing extreme financial hardship
- have lost your job
- have applied for benefits and are waiting for your first payment
You cannot use it to pay for ongoing bills that you cannot afford to pay. The second grant is called the individual assistance payment (IAP). This is a grant to help you or someone you care for live independently in their home or a property that you or they are moving into. You can use this grant to pay for appliances such as a fridge, cooker or washing machine and other ‘white goods'. You can also use it to pay for home furniture such as beds, sofas and chairs.
Because these grants are emergency, they are processed quite quickly, usually within days. You also do not generally have to pay these grants back, so they could be a big help in December and January if you're successful. Find out more here.
£200 fuel support scheme
The Welsh Government is also giving £200 cash towards energy bills via its fuel support scheme, which is open to households where an applicant or their partner is in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits at any time between September 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023:
- Income support
- Income based jobseeker's allowance
- Employment ad 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)
- Armed Forces independence payment
- Constant attendance allowance
- War pension mobility supplement
You can apply via your local authority which you can find here. Most councils have a dedicated 'fuel support scheme' page on their website which allows you to apply for the payment online and the money could make a big difference the sooner you apply.
£10 Christmas bonus
The government's £10 Christmas bonus scheme has run for several years and sees a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made to people in receipt of state pension or certain DWP benefits if they were getting universal credit and another qualifying benefit between December 5 - 11. Claimants who only receive UC but not another benefit are ineligible for the scheme.
While many have already received the bonus, others have reported it hitting their accounts this week just in time for Christmas. You can find everything you need to know about the Christmas bonus here. You can get more cost-of-living news and money stories straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Read next:
The places in Wales offering a free hot meal for those in need this Christmas
DWP £900 cost of living payment: DWP issues update on next year's payment
Millions to get £815 a month as DWP confirms state pension rates for 2023
Cardiff pub switches to candles and Christmas lights in cost of living crisis
