Christmas is just around the corner and for many households this will be a different sort of festive season as people try to cope with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Finances of even the most stringent of savers are being squeezed even tighter due to rising energy costs, soaring food prices and ever-increasing inflation.
UK Government support this year has already provided millions of people with much-needed income boosts to help offset the crisis along with the £2,500 Energy Price Guarantee and the monthly discounts automatically being added to electricity accounts - £67 from now until March.
But these aren’t the only financial support payments due between now and New and it’s important for everyone to be aware of what they are and when they are due so that if they need to apply, they can do it now and not miss out on cash that could help with the cost of living during the colder months.
December / January
£150 Warm Home Discount Scheme
The scheme officially opened last month. The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill made directly to your supplier, between October 2022 and March 2023.
The eligibility rules have changed for this year and even if you automatically qualified in the past, you may need to make a claim this year - find out more here.
If you live in Scotland, you qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit - known as the ‘core group’
- are on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme - known as the ‘broader group’
Full details on eligibility are available on GOV.UK here.
Outstanding £324 cost of living payment
The payment window for the second part of the £650 cost of living payment closed on November 30. If you are still waiting on yours, do not worry, payments are still being made to everyone who is eligible. You can report a missing payment online at GOV.UK here.
For full details on eligible benefits and qualifying dates - read more here.
It's not too late for older people to make a new claim for Pension Credit and be eligible for the second means-tested cost of living payment of £324. For someone over 66 to qualify, they must have been entitled to a payment of Pension Credit on or before the qualifying date of September 25, 2022.
Pension Credit is a retrospective benefit, worth around £3,500 on average each year, which means it can be backdated by three months and the last date for those who can successfully backdate their claim is December 18.
Even if someone is only awarded one penny they will qualify for the second cost of living payment of £324 which was paid to eight million people last month - find oUt more here.
£300 pensioner cost of living payment / Winter Fuel Payments
In total, these combined payments are worth up to £600 in heating bill help.
The £300 one-off payment is being added to the annual Winter Fuel Payment which will arrive before January 13, 2023 - no specific payment windows have been given.
It is not taxable and does not affect eligibility for other benefits. However, the full amount you will get for winter 2022 to 2023 depends on your household circumstances - read the full payment guide here.
£67 energy discount
The third instalment of the UK Government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme should be paid by the end of the month - read the full guide on payments here.
If you live in a park home, canal boat or have a tenancy agreement which includes energy bills the UK Government has said it will pay the £400 'as soon as possible'. People using oil to heat their homes will also receive a payment for £200 - the UK Government will publish details on how to apply soon - read more about this here.
£214 Child Winter Heating Assistance
Child Winter Heating Assistance is an annual payment of £214 for youngsters in Scotland on disability benefits to help with increased costs over the colder months.
The money is paid once a year and the Scottish Government has confirmed that the payment for winter 2022/23 will be £214.10 per eligible child or young person.
Children and young people in Scotland can get the heating assistance payment if they are under 19 years old and in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits between September 19 and September 25.
Payments should have arrived by now, if you haven't received yours find out more here.
Qualifying benefits:
- Child Disability Payment - highest rate of the care component
- Disability Living Allowance for children - highest rate of the care component
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - enhanced daily living component
- Adult Disability Payment - enhanced rate of the daily living component
£10 Christmas bonus from DWP
This is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment automatically made to people in receipt of State Pension or 20 DWP benefits if they meet the eligibility during a specific qualifying period, which is typically the first full week of December.
Qualifying benefits:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit - the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
Find out more about the £10 DWP bonus here.
£245 Carer’s Allowance Supplement
This one-off payment for £245.70 is only for unpaid carers in Scotland who were in receipt of Carer’s Allowance on October 10, 2022 - the December qualifying date.
This money will land in bank accounts on Friday, December 9, 2023.
Find out more about Carer's Allowance here.
£260 Bridging Payments for families in Scotland
All 32 local councils are delivering payments of £260 on behalf of the Scottish Government ahead of the Schools stopping for the Christmas holidays to children in receipt of free school meals.
Most payments are expected to be made before December 23, however, some councils have sent emails to parents and updated their website with a payment date of December 14.
Find out more about Bridging Payments and how to get them here.
February 2023
£50 Winter Heating Payment
£25 Cold Weather Payments are set to be replaced by a new devolved benefit this winter for people living in Scotland. The Scottish Government will introduce the new Winter Heating Payment from February 2023 which will give around 400,000 households on a low income a guaranteed £50 payment towards their energy bills.
Find out more about the new payment here.
To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out four times each week - sign up here.
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