The cost of living crisis is continuing to keep prices up, from energy bills to groceries. For millions of Brits, it is crucial to secure as much financial support as possible as winter and Christmas draws closer.
Many people receive Department for Work and Pension (DWP) payments to help them stay afloat financially. Payments largely depend on what benefits you’re eligible for and what you are currently being paid.
Fortunately, the government has several scheme to provide aid to those most vulnerable, especially as the weather gets colder. These include Universal Credit, Warm Home Discount Scheme, Cold Weather Payment and a Christmas bonus.
With the energy price cap set to increase in October, money is at the forefront of many peoples’ minds. From October 1 to December 31, 2024, the energy price cap will be £1,717 annually for an average household that uses both electricity and gas and pays via direct debit.
This represents a 10% rise from the previous cap of £1,568, which was in effect from July 1 to September 30, 2024. Below is a look at the majority of payment schemes DWP are due to dish out between now and the end of 2024.
1. Benefits going out as usual
The usual benefits and pension payments will go out as normal in September, October and November, as there are no bank holidays in those months. Dates you usually get your DWP payments may change in December due to the festive period.
- Universal Credit
- State pension
- Pension credit
- Child benefit
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payment
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Employment support allowance
- Income support
- Jobseeker’s allowance
Universal Credit: The monthly standard rate for adults over 25 is £393.45 for singles and £617.60 for couples. For those under 25, the monthly standard rate is £311.68 for singles and £489.23 for couples.
Budgeting advance loans: The government provides a ‘budgeting advance loan’ to assist individuals who are experiencing an urgent financial shortfall. To get a Budgeting Loan you must have been getting one or more of these benefits for the past 6 months:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
If you moved from Universal Credit to Pension Credit, any time spent claiming Universal Credit will count towards the six months. If you currently get Universal Credit, you cannot get a Budgeting Loan. Apply for a Budgeting Advance instead.
2. Warm Home Discount Scheme
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is set to reopen in October 2024, offering a one-time discount of £150 on your electricity bill. If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill. The money is not paid to you.
You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. You only need to apply if you’re on a low income in Scotland – contact your energy supplier to apply.
If your energy supplier offers both gas and electricity and you qualify, you might be able to receive a discount on your gas bill instead. Reach out to your supplier to learn more.
There are different ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme depending on where you live. If you live in England and Wales, you qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income and have high energy costs
If you live in Scotland, you qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income in Scotland and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme
3. DWP Christmas bonus
The DWP Christmas Bonus is a one-time payment of £10 that is tax-free and is given out before Christmas Day. It’s available to individuals receiving specific benefits during the qualifying week, which typically falls in the first full week of December. There’s no need to apply for it; you will receive it automatically.
You must receive at least one of the following benefits during the ‘qualifying week,’ which typically falls in the first full week of December:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas Bonus
4. Cold Weather Payment
If you receive specific benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest, you could qualify for Cold Weather Payments. If you meet the eligibility criteria, these payments will be issued to you automatically. There’s no need to submit an application, but you should inform Jobcentre Plus if you have a baby or if a child under five moves in with you.
You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting:
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest
Your other benefits will remain unchanged by these payments. You will receive a payment if the average temperature in your region is at or expected to be zero degrees Celsius or lower for seven straight days. For each week of extremely cold weather occurring between November 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, you will receive £25.
5. State pension
You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension when you reach State Pension age if you’re a man born on or after 6 April, 1951 and a woman born on or after 6 April, 1953.
If you were born before, these rules do not apply. Instead, you’ll get the basic State Pension. You may also get Additional State Pension.
Your State Pension amount depends on your National Insurance record. The new state pension is £221.20 per week, and the basic state pension is £169.50 per week.
6. Winter Fuel Payment
If your birth date is prior to September 23, 1958, you may be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment of either £200 or £300 to assist with your heating expenses for the winter season of 2024 to 2025.
You could qualify if you or your partner receive specific benefits. If you do qualify, the Winter Fuel Payment is usually provided to you automatically. If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get.
If you do not get a letter but you think you’re eligible, check if you need to make a claim. Most eligible people are paid in November or December. The number of claimants in England and Wales is expected to be 1.5 million individuals in 1.3 million households in 2024–25.
7. Household support fund
In the spring Budget, former chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that the Household Support Fund will be available until the end of September 2024. The fund has been extended to help local authorities in England provide emergency crisis support to vulnerable families and people. Find out if you’re eligible under your local council’s rules via the Gov.uk website search tool.
8. Cost of living payment
Unlike last autumn/winter, there won’t be any cost of living payments made to Brits for the rest of this year. The final payment of £299 was made between February 6 and February 22, 2024.
What should I do if I haven’t received a payment:
If you haven’t received a payment, you can check the payment date on your awards notice. If there was a weekend or bank holiday, the payment may be delayed until the next working day.
You can also contact your bank to see if a payment is pending. If the payment is still missing, you can contact the office that handles your benefit or pension.