Cost of living support: What can I get from the Government?

As we continue to deal with the rising cost of living, the Government has pledged some support for everyone to help us with our bills. 

But what does this mean, and what are we entitled to? We’ve taken a look at the latest Government announcement and pulled out the most useful bits to help you see what support you may be eligible for: 

The £400 grant 

• Households will get a £400 grant towards the cost their energy bills, meaning that this will not be paid back through higher bills in the future 

• This will be rolled out by energy suppliers and will be either credited to your account if you’re on a direct debit or the money will be applied to your meter automatically if you’re on a pre-payment meter. It may also be given to you through a voucher if you’re on pre-payment. 

The £650 cost of living payment 

• You may be eligible for this payment if you’re on any of these benefits: Universal Credit, job-seekers allowance, employment and support allowance, income support, working tax credit, child tax credit, pension credit 
• The payment will be made in two lump sums. The first will be in July, the second in the autumn 
• This grant is tax-free and will not count against any of the other benefits you may receive 

• The Government will pay this straight to you if you’re eligible 

The one-off £300 pensioner cost of living payment 

• You may be eligible for this payment if you already receive Winter Fuel Payments 
• It will be paid on top of any other benefits you receive e.g. pension credit or disability benefits. This won’t count against any other benefits you receive 
• You will receive this payment directly from the Government 

• You can check if you’re eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment just here: https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/eligibility 

The £150 disability cost of living payment 

• You will receive this payment directly from the Government in September if you receive any of these benefits: Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Constant Attendance Payment, War Pension Mobility Supplement. 
• The £150 will come on top of any of the other payments you’re eligible for, such as the £650 cost of living payment for those on means tested benefits 
• It won’t count against any of the other benefits you receive 

The Household Support Fund 

• This money is being made available by local authorities (your council), and you will be able to apply for a grant from October 2022 to March 2023 
• More information on this will be made available later in the year 

There’s more information on these payments and what you may be eligible for on the Government’s website here. 

Don’t forget, if you’re a Stonewater customer you’re also eligible for support, grants, advice and more. For full details of how we can help you if you’re worried about money, check out our financial support guide.