Families who are struggling with the rising costs of bills may be eligible for help through a new £3.5million funding pot.
The cash help has been confirmed by cancer charity Macmillan as the cost of living crisis continues to hit households across the UK.
Macmillan says it has noted an increase in the number of people living with cancer who need financial support.
The charity is predicting a further 16% spike in the number of cancer patients who will apply for a Macmillan grant in 2022.
The extra cash is being allocated into the Macmillan Financial Grants scheme, which has already handed out £1.6million in grants this year.
Anyone living with cancer and who needs help with bills and other essentials may be eligible to apply for a grant.
The grants are worth up to £350 per person. This is a one-off payment that is means-tested and you won’t need to pay the money back.
To be eligible for the Macmillian grant, you must meet the following criteria:
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You have no more than £6,000 in savings for a household of one person or no more than £8,000 for a household of two or more people
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You have a weekly income of no more than £323 per week for a household of one person or no more than £442 per week for a household of two or more people.
Benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance (AA) won’t count towards your income.
You can apply for the grant by calling Macmillan on 0808 808 00 00 or you can speak to a healthcare professional to help you fill in a form.
If your application is approved you'll get the payment directly into your bank account or by cheque.
What other help is available if you’re struggling to pay your bills
The extra funding comes as millions face a cost of living crisis with families braced for food and energy bill increases over the next few months.
Ofgem is hiking its energy price cap by £693 from April 1, from £1,277 to £1,971, while the cost of the average food shop is predicted to rise by £180 per year.
If you’re not eligible for the Macmillan support, it is worth checking with debt charity Turn2Us about what other grants you might be able to claim.
Turn2Us has a free grants search tool so you can find out what help is near you - there are around 8,000 grants currently available.
Other help you may want to look into includes the Warm Home Discount scheme, which offers £140 one-off payments for those who get the Guarantee element of Pension Credit or are on a low income.
There is also the Winter Fuel Payment scheme, where those getting the state pension can get between £100 and £300.
Low income households can also get £25 a week to help with energy bills during the winter thanks to the Cold Weather Payment scheme too.
If you’re really worried about your energy bills, you should speak to your energy provider first to see what support they can give you.
