Inflation stayed flat at 6.7 per cent in the year to September, official figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
Economists had predicted a slight fall, but higher petrol costs and the price of hotel stays resulted in the rate staying put, the ONS said.
It comes as UK households remain in the grip of a cost of living crisis, which will bite harder for many as the colder months of winter aprroach.
This makes it even more important to know what support is available to you. Benefits should be paid as normal in November, while many will receive additional cost of living payments. Here’s everything you need to know about each, from eligibility criteria to how much you can get.
Low-income cost of living payment
The next instalment of the £900 low-income cost of living payment will start being paid to those eligible from the end of October, but most people are likely to receive it in November.
The payment will be of £300. It is tax free, will not count towards the benefit cap and does not have any impact on existing benefit awards.
You do not need to apply for the payment. If you are eligible, you should receive it automatically.
The grant is being paid to people who receive the following benefits:
- Universal credit;
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance;
- Income-related employment and support allowance;
- Income support;
- Pension credit;
- Working tax credit;
- Child tax credit.
To be eligible for the payment, you must have been entitled to a payment for a qualifying benefit, or received a payment of tax credits, between 18 August and 17 September. People will not be eligible for the payment if their qualifying benefit is reduced to nil for the qualifying period.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will issue the next payment to most eligible claimants, including those on universal credit, between Tuesday 31 October and Sunday 19 November.
People who are eligible solely through tax credits will receive it from HMRC between Friday 10 November and Sunday 19 November. The later start date is to avoid duplicate payments.
The payment reference for bank accounts will be the recipient’s national insurance number followed by “DWP COL” or “HMRC COLSD”.
Pensioner cost of living payment
There is a cost of living payment for pensioners that comes in addition to the annual winter fuel payment, which is a grant for older people to help them heat their homes during the colder months.
The payment is worth between £150 and £300, depending on your circumstances, meaning some pensioners will receive as much as £600 when they get their winter fuel payment.
You are generally eligible for the winter fuel payment if you were born before 25 September 1957 and live in the UK. You only need to have lived in the UK for the week from 18-24 September 2023 to qualify.
If you live in a care home you will still be eligible, unless you lived there for the whole period from 26 June to 24 September 2023 and receive pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) or income-related employment and support allowance (ESA).
You also will not be eligible if you:
- have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year;
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public funds;
- were in prison for the whole of the week of 18-24 September 2023.
Most payments are made automatically in November or December. Beforehand you will get a letter telling you how much you will get, and which bank account it will be paid into. This is normally the same account as your state pension or other benefits.
Find out how much you could get, and whether you need to apply, here.
Warm home discount
The warm home discount enables eligible people to get £150 off their electricity bill during the winter. The money is not paid to you – it as a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between early October 2023 and 31 March 2024.
If you live in England and Wales you qualify if you either get the guarantee credit element of pension credit, or are on a low income and have high energy costs.
If you live in Scotland you must either get the guarantee credit element of pension credit, or be on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme.
If you get the guarantee element of pension credit
You qualify for the discount if on 13 August 2023 all of the following applied:
- Your energy supplier is part of the scheme (find a list here);
- Your name (or your partner’s) is on the electricity bill;
- You or your partner are getting the guarantee credit element of pension credit (even if you get savings credit as well).
If you are on a low income
To qualify through a low income, you must receive one of the following means-tested benefits to get the warm home discount:
- Housing benefit;
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA);
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA);
- Income support;
- The savings credit part of pension credit;
- Universal credit.
You could also qualify if your household income falls below a certain threshold and you get either:
- Child tax credit;
- Working tax credit.
Your property must also have a high energy cost score for you to be eligible for the scheme. This is not based on the actual energy costs in your energy bill. It is calculated based on your property’s type, age and floor area.
Check if you’re eligible for the discount online here.
You can still qualify for the discount if you use a pre-pay or pay-as-you-go electricity meter. Your electricity supplier can tell you how you’ll get the discount if you’re eligible, for example a voucher you can use to top up your meter.
