All the bill help you can get on Universal Credit, State Pension and benefits as inflation rises faster than payments
BILLS and everyday costs are rocketing for millions of households, putting pressure on many people's finances.
Benefits this week increased by 3.1% including Universal Credit and the State Pension, adding more in people's pockets.
But inflation has hit 7%, new official figures revealed today show.
And that means many on benefits will actually feel worse off, because their cash doesn't stretch as far.
Inflation is a measure of how much prices are now compared to last year, from food in your shopping trolley to the fuel filling up your car.
You'll be spending more of your cash, even on the same items, because prices have gone up.
And the rise in benefit rates is not enough to keep up with these higher prices, leaving many feeling the pinch.
Tom Selby, head of retirement policy at AJ Bell, said: “When is a pay rise not really a pay rise? When the cost of the things you buy are increasing by more than the extra cash you’re receiving.
“Sadly, that is exactly the position millions of retirees find themselves in today as the state pension rises by 3.1%"
“The reason is that traditionally the Government uses the inflation rate from the prior September used to uprate benefits. Unfortunately, this was before prices in the UK spiked."
And the same goes for others on a range of benefits getting a "pay rise" this week too
For anyone struggling with the rising cost of living there's extra help available - here's what you could get and how to apply.
Exact availability will depend on your circumstances, but these schemes are generally aimed at those on benefits or on low incomes.
Unclaimed benefits
Even if you're getting benefits now, you could be entitled to more.
Charity Turn2us estimates that at least seven million people across the UK are missing out on over £15 billion of unclaimed benefits.
A whopping £1.7billion a year in Pension Credit alone is going spare, and is worth as much as £3,300 a year to those on low incomes getting State Pension.
You can find free-to-use online benefits calculators to work out what you're entitled to.
There are several out there, including from Turn2US, EntitledTo and Poilicy in Practice.
The tools only provide an indicator of what benefits you can claim - and usually don't include means-tested benefits, so you may be entitled to even more.
For example, you will qualify for extra financial help if you have disabled child or you're a carer.
Council tax discount
Some households on low incomes could be eligible for a discount on their council tax bill.
As one of the biggest bills for households and the worst consequences if you get behind, finding out if you can get a reduction could help you get by.
In some cases you could even get your bill reduced to zero and with the average bill for a band D home at £1,898, that could save a a significant sum.
To find out if you're eligible and apply you'll need to contact your local council - you can find yours , just enter your postcode.
Energy bill help
Several suppliers offer energy bill help through hardship funds and give out grants worth as much as £750 - you don't have to repay the cash.
British Gas just added and extra £2millionto its Energy Trust fund to help struggling customers.
You'll need to contact your supplier directly to see what they offer and eligibility and how much you get can vary between them.
If you're on a prepayment meter you might be able to get a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier
The fuel voucher scheme comes via the Fuel Bank Foundation charity, and it's offered through a range of organisations, like food banks and Citizens Advice.
If you’re still not sure if you can get a voucher, you can , Citizens Advice says.
The voucher should help you cover around two weeks worth of electricity use.
Some energy companies may also issue their own vouchers, so ask your supplier directly.
There are three schemes offering help over winter, so have now closed. But it's worth knowing about them for next winter when bills could rise again.
The winter fuel payment scheme, where those getting the state pension can get between £100 and £300 to offset the cost of keeping their homes warm.
Low income households can get £25 a week to help with energy bills during the winter thanks to the cold weather payment scheme too.
The warm home discount scheme offers £140 payment that goes toward your heating costs.
In October billpayers will also get a £200 discount on their energy bill automatically, though this will have to be repaid in future years.
Food and bills help through the Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund, which helps families with the rising cost of living, has been extended.
This help could include cash grants to pay bills or cover food costs - the help will depend on where you live.
The help you can get and who's eligible will depend on where you live.
For example, those who live in the North Yorkshire County Council catchment area were able to claim a £125 voucher to help pay for food and other essentials.
And in Barnsley, you could get up to £200 in vouchers to spend at supermarkets and shops including Aldi, Asda, Argos and Currys.
Councils also have welfare assistance schemes which help low income families with necessities like food and other bills, and the eligibility may be broader than for the Household Support Fund.
To find out what support is available in your area, contact your
Council tax energy rebate
Four in five households will be getting £150 payment to help cover the cost of rising energy bills.
The cash is being dished out by councils as a one-off payment rather than a discount on your usual council tax bill.
You'll get it if you're in council tax bands A-D, though a discretionary fund is also available for households not eligible and will give out £150 payments too.
You don't have to pay this cash back but you might have to apply to get it if your local authority does not have direct debit or bank details for you on record.
Here's everything you need to know about the scheme.
Rent help
An investigation by The Sun found that councils have given payments worth as much as £32,000 over the past year to the most hard-up tenants trying to keep a roof over their heads.
But this is by far the biggest amount and the average amount is around £965, after we asked around 30 councils.
Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) is a little-known pot of money handed out by councils to cover shortfalls in rent and help with deposits.
The financial support is available to those getting benefits for housing in England and Wales.
Anyone claiming Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit could be eligible if they are struggling with rent costs.
Each local authority dishes out DHP cash to those in need on a case-by-case basis, and the amounts available can vary.
So you'll need to speak to your council to see what's available where you are.
You won't need to repay the cash and you could get a lump sum, or ongoing payment.
Cheaper broadband tariff
Thousands of people on low incomes and benefits are missing out on savings of £144 a year on average by not choosing a social tariffs.
Several providers offer these deals that are cheaper than the usual costs advertised.
Here are all the cheaper deals you can find from Virgin, Sky, and more, including who's eligible and how to apply.
Don't forget to check you're on the cheapest deal too, regardless of if you can get a social tariff as you could still save cash - here's Martin Lewis' tips.
Water bill discount
A water meter is a device that measures how much water you use.
It could wipe hundreds off your bill if there's less people living in your house than there are bedrooms.
You can request a water meter free of charge from whoever is your water company, Citizens Advice says.
Lower income families can apply to the WarerSure scheme to save hundreds of pounds on their bill each year.
If you claim Universal Credit or a number of other benefits, you may be able to cap your water bill.
To qualify for the scheme you need to already have a water meter installed, and prove you need to use a lot of water.
Exactly what help you can get and who is eligible will depend on who your supplier is.
Some suppliers might agree to reduce or wipe your debt if you're struggling to pay your water bills.
Charity grants
There are around 8,000 charities and organisations in the UK that offer cash to help struggling families.
Food banks
If you're struggling to get by because of rising costs, you could get help form a food bank
is a non-government owned organisation and charity that is working to end food poverty.
There are over 1,200 Trussel Trust food banks offering support, but you can't apply for help directly with them.
You will need to be referred by one of your local community organisations.
Examples of these are GPs, schools, churches, or advice agencies such as .
If you have kids
There's specific support for families with kids ranging from free foord to cash for uniforms.
If you're pregnant or responsible children under four, you could get healthy start vouchers.
Free school meals may also be available to your household if you meet certain criteria.
Some areas also offer vouchers for supermarkets during school holidays.
In some areas you can get up to £150 grant to help cover the cost of buying school uniforms.
You may be able to get a one off payment worth £500 to help towards the costs of having a child through the Sure Start Maternity Grant.
You don't have to pay it back and you can find out who's eligible in our guide.
If you claim Universal Credit, you might be able to get a refund on most of your childcare costs.
You can claim back 85% of childcare costs up to £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more up to August 31 following the child’s 16th birthday.
You will have to pay your childcare costs yourself up front and then claim the money back through Universal Credit.
The Sun has been calling on the government to change rules and pay parents up-front for childcare costs, as part of our Make Universal Credit Work campaign.
Parents may also be able to take advantage of other childcare support, whether you're claiming Universal Credit or not, including up to 30 hours free childcare.
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