The best way to plan your household budget for the coming months is to be aware of any notable financial events taking place, whether that's adding them to a calendar - online or paper-based - marking them in a diary or marking a pile of sticky notes and pinning them on the fridge. Knowing what to expect and when, especially as the summer holidays draw nearer, can help prevent any unwelcome financial surprises.
The UK Government has launched its first wave of 2023/24 cost of living support payments with the £301 means-tested lump sum expected to provide additional financial support to more than eight million households. This will be followed by the £150 disability cost of living payment, £300 for pensioner households and a further £501 (£300 and £299) for those on means-tested benefits.
There are also one-off payments only available in Scotland for unpaid carers and families with a disabled child.
