Five payments and discounts worth up to £1,500 that can be claimed before Christmas

Millions of Brits will qualify for financial support worth hundreds of pounds this winter.

With the colder months expecting to see an increase in the demand for heating and festive costs - household bills are set to rise even further.

It comes as the Energy Price Guarantee was confirmed to be scaled back from April - instead of running for a full two years as a universal scheme.

But a number of payments will be credited to millions of bank accounts to help struggling Brits tackle soaring costs.

Here is a list of payments, along with the eligibility requirements, that you could receive before Christmas.

1. Cost of living payment - £324

Millions of households have already received their first instalment of a £650 cost of living payment promised by the Government.

The boost is aimed at those entitled to certain benefits or tax credits and is paid in two parts.

The first half was worth £326.

The second instalment, worth £324, will be sent to most eligible households between November 8 until November 23.

The second installment of the cost-of-living payment is due (Getty Images)

Brits will be eligible for the payment if they receive any of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support
• Pension Credit

But those receiving Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit will be paid after November 23.

You will be eligible to the £324 if you were entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) between August 26, 2022 and September 25, 2022.

Millions of Brits will qualify for financial support (Getty Images/Image Source)

2. Pensioner cost of living payment - up to £600

If you qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2022/23 then you will get an additional £300 from November.

Winter Fuel Payments are worth between £100 and £300 - so the total amount you'll get for this year only is up to £600.

You could be eligible if you were born on or before September 25, 1956, and you lived in the UK for at least one day in the qualifying week.

The qualifying week for winter 2022/23 was between 19 and 25 September 2022.

You’ll usually get a smaller Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home or nursing home and don't get one of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support.

3. Warm Home Discount - £150

The Warm Home Discount gives households £150 off their energy bills between November and March.

You should get the payment automatically if your energy supplier is part of the scheme and you, or your partner, receive the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit.

You may also qualify if you get a different “qualifying benefit” and you have high energy costs.

The benefits that might mean you get the Warm Home Discount are:

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income Support

• Universal Credit

• Housing benefit

• Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits

• Pension Credit (Savings Credit)

The deadline for submitting a claim for one of these benefits was August 21.

The pensioner cost of living payment is worth £300 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

4. Cold weather payment - £25

As the temperatures start to drop, check if you'll qualify for a Cold Weather Payment.

These are worth £25 for each seven-day period when temperatures fall to zero degrees or less.

The money goes to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as pension credit or certain employment benefits.

The scheme normally starts in November and ends in March.

It is possible to receive multiple payments if you have several weeks of freezing weather.

5. Energy bill discount - £400

Millions of households have started to receive £400 off their energy bills, spread out over six months from October.

You will get a discount worth £66 in October and November, rising to £67 each month from December through to March 2023.

Direct debit customers will receive the energy bill discount automatically.

If you don't pay by direct debit, the discount will be applied as a credit to your energy account each month.

Smart prepayment meter customers will also receive the discount automatically each month.

Prepayment meter customers will be given discount vouchers issued via text, email or post.