Help with cost of living

• If you’re on a low income or out of work, you may be eligible for welfare benefits or other financial help. Use the UK Government’s online tool to check whether you are entitled to any benefits or other financial support.
• Individuals on means tested benefits, including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Tax Credits, may be entitled to up to five Cost of Living Payments (link to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment). These payments will be made automatically, in the same way you usually get your benefits.
• People on disability benefits may also be entitled to a one-off payment of £150 to help with extra costs such as for specialist equipment or transportation. Read more about the Disability Cost of Living Payment.
• The UK Government’s Money Helper service provides free, confidential and impartial guidance based on your individual needs. You can get in touch online or call 0800 138 7777 (English) or 0800 138 5555 (Welsh).

If you are a carer looking after a young person over the age of 18 (for example, in a Staying Put t may be worth reviewing the financial arrangements you have in place in light of the cost of living crisis and the additional support payments being provided.

• If you are worried about paying your energy bills or think you might get into debt to your supplier, you should contact your energy supplier as soon as possible. Under Ofgem rules energy suppliers must work with you to agree a payment play that you can afford. You can ask for payment breaks, more time to pay or access to hardship funds, among other options. 
• The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill for people on a low income in England and Wales. If you’re eligible, your supplier will automatically apply the discount to your bill. If you are on a low income in Scotland, you will have to apply for the discount.  Read more about the Warm Home Discount Scheme in Scotland.The Warm Home Discount Scheme is not available in Northern Ireland. Instead, you may be eligible to apply for the Affordable Warmth Scheme
• If you get certain benefits, live in social housing or are on a low income, you can apply for help with energy-saving improvements for your home, which may help to reduce your energy bills. Find out more about the Energy Company Obligation (help from your energy supplier); the Great British Insultation Scheme (not available in Northern Ireland); and help to improve a home with no gas boiler  (only available in England). There are other grants to help you make your home warmer and more energy efficient if you live in Scotland, Wales orNorthern Ireland.
• If you own a property in England or Wales, you can get recommendations for home improvements that could make your property cheaper to heat and keep warm.
  Find ways to save energy in your home. There is different advice on reducing your household’s energy use if you live in Scotland. This is available through Home Energy Scotland. You can also visit NI Direct for advice on reducing your household’s energy use if you live in Northern Ireland.
• If you were born before 25 September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a Winter Fuel Payment. The amount you get includes a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, which is between £150 and £300. Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible. If you did not receive a payment but think you may be entitled to one, you can check if you’re eligible and make a claim.
• An extra £25 per week in Cold Weather Payments is available to people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive certain benefits, when the temperature in the winter months (November – March) is zero or below for more than seven days. This will be paid automatically into your bank account. Check if any payments are due in your area of England or Wales, or Northern Ireland
• Child Winter Heating Assistance is a benefit from the Scottish Government to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs over winter. The payments are usually made automatically. Check if you're eligible.
• Until 31 March 2027, there will be 0% VAT on energy saving materials such as thermal insulation or solar panels. Installing energy saving materials will help improve energy efficiency in your home and keep heating bills down.

• You can claim Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16 (under 20 if they stay in education or training). It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for. Foster carers cannot claim Child Benefit for children they look after but may be eligible to claim it for their own children. Claim Child Benefit
• You may be eligible for other benefits or other financial help. Use the UK Government’s online tool to check whether you are entitled to any benefits or other financial support.
• If you’re eligible for Universal Credit, you may be able to claim back 85% of your childcare costs while you work. Find out more about claiming back childcare costs.
• Check if your child(ren) can get free school meals. You may also be able to get help with transport to school or grants to buy school uniforms. There is different help available if you live in England,  Scotland ,Wales and Northern Ireland.
• If your children can get free school meals, you can get access to free activities and food for your children in the school holidays. Contact your local council to find out more.
• You may also be able to claim additional help with childcare costs, including free Childcare Choices can help you find out more.
• You may be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare. This means you can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare (see above) if you’re eligible for both. Childcare Choices can help you find out more.

• Check if your local council has a Household Support Fund or welfare assistance scheme. This might help you pay for bills, food and essential items. You don’t have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council.  
• If you’re struggling to pay for food, you might be able to get a referral to a food bank.
• If you have a child under 4, and you are receiving certain types of benefits, you may be eligible for a Healthy Start card to help you buy certain types of milk, fruit and vegetables.
• Check with Ofcom to see if you can switch to a ‘social tariff’ for your broadband or phone services. Social tariffs are often cheaper packages that are only available to customers who receive certain government benefits.
• If you are struggling to pay your water bill, contact your water company and explain your situation. There may be some payment schemes or hardship funds available to help you if you live in England or Wales.
• Check if you are eligible for a Budgeting Loan which can be used for household items, rent in advance and travelling costs. Budgeting Loans are usually available to people who have been getting one or more income-related benefit(s) for the past 6 months.
• If you are renting, you may be able to get help to pay all or part of your rent. Use the UK Government’s online tool to check whether you are entitled to any benefits or other financial support. or use an independent benefits calculator to find out if you are eligible.
• The housing element of Universal Credit (formerly Housing Benefit) can help you pay your rent if you are a pensioner, or you’re in supported, sheltered or temporary accommodation. Check if you are eligible for Housing Benefit.
• There are also Discretionary Housing Payments which provide financial support to help with rent or housing costs. You can apply for these payments if you receive Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and need more financial support. This funding is available in England, Wales and Scotland.
• If you’re a homeowner, you might be able to get help towards interest payments on your mortgage or loans you’ve taken out for repairs to your home. This is called Support for Mortgage Interest.

• You can get up to 1/3 off train fares in England, Scotland and Wales with a railcard.
• If you’re unemployed and claiming Universal Credit, you can apply for half-price travel using the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card.
• You may be able to get free travel on buses. You can get a bus pass for free travel when you reach the State Pension age in England or when you reach 60 years old in Scotland and Northern Ireland  In Scotland, you can also get free bus travel if you are under 22 years old  in Wales, you can get approximately 30% off bus travel if you are aged 16 - 21. You may also be able to get discounted or free bus travel if you have certain disabilities in England,  Scotland,  Wales and Northern Ireland.

• As part of the UK Government’s Help for Households campaign, businesses can sign up to provide discounts on their products and services, to help with the cost of living. Explore this interactive map to find free or cheap days out and activities near you.
• Foster carers, along with social care staff, are eligible to apply for a Blue Light Card (£4.99 for two years). The card provides access to more than 15,000 discounts from large national retailers to local businesses across categories such as holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more.
• Members of The Fostering Network also get a range of discounts (link to relevant discounts page) on products and experiences, including days out, holidays, mortgages and insurance. 

• If you owe money and you’re struggling to pay it back, there are things you can do to help you get out of debt. Citizens Advice has lots of information about the different options.
• National Debtline gives free, independent and confidential advice on personal debt over the phone and online. It is run by the Money Advice Trust which is a national charity helping people across the UK to tackle their debts and manage their money with confidence.
• StepChange  is a debt charity offering free, flexible debt advice that is based on a comprehensive assessment of your situation. They provide practical help and support for however long it’s needed.