Rising costs of living have left many worried about paying their bills in the lead-up to Christmas. Record levels of inflation and price rises across the board have led to financial hardship for many this year with the Bank of England warning the UK faces a two-year recession, the longest since records began.
The government has rolled out more help for those struggling to cope, including a £650 payment for means-tested benefits claimants, £150 for those with disabilities and a £400 discount off energy bills for all households over six months. There will also be a Christmas bonus and a £300 top-up to winter fuel payments in December. You can find out all the payments coming this month here.
December can be hugely stressful time for households and families in the lead-up to Christmas but there is some additional support available at short notice through the Welsh Government's discretionary assistance fund (DAF). In most cases claimants do not have to repay the money, which comes via your local council. Here is everything you need to know about the discretionary assistance fund (DAF) including whether you are eligible and how you can apply. You can get more cost-of-living news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
