EXTRA cash will be provided to millions of pensioners on low incomes to help them during the cost of living crisis this winter.
Then Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a one-off £300 payment earlier this year.
He said at the time: "We know that people are facing challenges with the cost of living and that is why today I’m stepping in with further support to help with rising energy bills."
£2.5billion will go towards older households to help them heat their homes this winter.
That will arrive via the £300 "Pensioner Cost of Living Payment" which will be paid in November or December.
Those who already receive the winter fuel payment are eligible for this payment.
For those over the state pension age, the WFP is worth approximately £100 and £300 depending on your age and circumstances.
Other help includes a £326 tax credit boost paid to over one million Brits.
Read our live blog below for the latest updates….
- Matt Snape
Cost of living crisis: Market selling Christmas cards in September
A market in south Wales is already selling Christmas cards in an attempt to entice customers during the cost of living crisis, BBC News reports.
Martin Wakeford, who runs a card shop at Aberdare market, said he was selling "last year's stock at last year's prices" and sales were going well.
- Matt Snape
What you need to know about Cost of Living payments
All the key dates for cost of living payments revealed
Every household will get a £400 cost of living payment to help with energy bills
See the full list of benefits eligible for £650 cost of living cash
Here’s free cash you can get if you DON’T qualify for the £650 cost of living payment
Millions of pensioners will get a £300 cost of living payment this winter
Disabled Brits will get £150 this September
Parents can get up to £200 towards school uniform costs
- Matt Snape
Top tips on getting the most use from school uniforms (2/2)
During the typical British weather it is not uncommon for kids to get covered in mud.
As soon as you see any mud on your child’s uniform, soak it immediately in a cold bowl of water with three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda.
Leave this soaking for an hour and then wash as normal.
During play time children can't seem to avoid grass stains and with this type of stain it’s important to dab over the area with methylated spirits and then let it dry out completely.
Once it dries, you can then throw it in your washing machine.
- Matt Snape
Top tips on getting the most use from school uniforms (1/2)
Many parents will know the feeling of when their child comes home from school with stains all over their clothes, so here are some tips on getting them out.
With ink stains the key is to spray it with hairspray first and then blot over the area with a paper towel.
However, if it's a Biro pen instead, then these stains can be removed if you lightly soak the item of clothing in some milk.
Moving on to crayon stains parents can try freezing the fabric first, this will harden the crayon and then you should be able to scrape off any excess crayon. Once this is done, turn on an iron at a medium heat setting.
While it’s heating up, put a paper towel on top of and underneath the stained area and gently press the warm iron over it. Hopefully, it should move the stain onto the paper towel instead.
- Matt Snape
How can you save money on petrol?
Motorists can save money on petrol by search for cheapest places.
Confused.com offer a petrol price comparison tool that can make things easier when looking for the best deal.
Supermarket forecourts in most areas regularly rank as the cheapest places for petrol.
In some cases there can be differences of around 4p per litre between petrol stations within a few miles of each other.
That may not sound like a lot but if you filled a 50-litre tank each week it would amount to a difference of £2, and £96 a year.
- Matt Snape
Will people die because of cold homes?
Researchers stated that last year an estimated 6,000 people died as a direct result of cold homes, with more dying in Britain than in colder countries such as Finland.
This suggests that cold homes are linked to an increased risk of death.
In England, there were roughly 63,000 excess winter deaths in 2020/21. Estimates reveal that some 10 percent of excess winter deaths are directly attributable to fuel poverty, according to Sky News.
- Matt Snape
Health experts warn fuel poverty could trigger ‘health crisis’
Many families could be forced to live in cold homes this winter due to the spiralling cost of living crisis.
Sky News reports that health experts have anticipated a "significant humanitarian crisis" as more than half of British households should be in fuel poverty by January.
Studies have also discovered that cold affects circulatory health when indoor temperatures fall, which can result in raised blood pressure and increases in blood thickness.
- Matt Snape
Network Rail’s annual energy bill may exceed £1 BILLION
The yearly energy bill for Network Rail could exceed £1 billion for the first time.
This may happen due to the never-ending cost of living crisis.
According to Sky News, the government-owned organisation said it is expecting the cost of traction – supplying electricity to trains – to jump from £595 million in the current financial year to £885 million in 2023/24.
It is predicting that its annual energy bill will reach £1.02 billion in 2023/24, up from £670 million in the current financial year, when combined with non-traction electricity and gas.
- Matt Snape
New energy price cap – when will it come in?
Energy bills are set to shoot to £3,549, Ofgem stated at the end of August.
But it will come into effect on October 1.
Those who pay their energy bills by direct debit will see their bills increase by 80 percent from £1,971 to £3,549.
Those who don't pay for their energy by direct debit will see their bills hiked from £2,100 to £3,764.
Also, those on prepayment meters will see their bills increase by £1,591 as the price cap for these customers moved from £2,017 a year to £3,608 a year.
- Matt Snape
Ofgem’s new price cap will be announced at the end of this year
The energy regulator Ofgem will announce what the new price cap will be from January 1 later this year.
According to energy consultancy Auxilione, the price cap for next January will go by £620 to £5,012.
- Matt Snape
Cost of living crisis triggers £2 bus fare cap in England
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that bus fares in England will be capped at £2 from January to March next year.
The Department of Transport suggests this action could save passengers £3 per ticket.
Mr Shapps told The Independent: Mr Shapps said: “Buses are by far and away the most used form of public transport, so ensuring that almost all bus journeys are no more than £2 will assist passengers over the winter months and provide direct help to thousands of households across the country.”
- Louis Allwood
Look out for bundle deals when uniform shopping
It's that time of year once again where school children are heading back and parents need to restock the uniform cupboards.
If you have more than one child, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for bundle deals and offers if you’re out shopping for new school uniforms, as this will help to knock off a quid or two.
All of the major supermarkets which have clothing ranges in store offer discounts on uniforms each year, so look out for those and know when to shop.
Last but not least, once the school uniform is ready to go for another year, the most important thing you can do next is to put name tags on every piece of clothing your child wears.
This may seem like an unnecessary step but something as simple as this can prevent any uniform from getting lost forever and needing to be replaced.
- Louis Allwood
Best ways to reduce phone bills
An expert at online mobile phone shop Mobiles.co.uk, has revealed some changes you can make to save on your phone bill.
Most people are quick to grab the latest iPhone, Samsung or Google phones, but these same brands offer mid-range handsets with good quality features, and for less money as well, Kyle said.
Kyle Wilson said: “Whether you’re looking for a big display, advanced camera, or 5G connectivity, these features can also be found on mid-ranged priced phones."
Choosing a deal with an upfront cost will save you in the long run as well, Kyle said.
"This will generally lower the line rental and make the contract cheaper over the course of the agreement."
- Louis Allwood
Cost of Living latest
- Brits are set to receive a £400 energy rebate this winter and next spring.
- Britain will enter recession by 2023, with growth set to be weak in 2024, according to a report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
- The Treasury is readying a list of different emergency solutions for the cost of living crisis, reports claim.
Ofgem will announce a new price cap at the end of this year
On Thursday, November 24, the energy regulator Ofgem will announce what the new price cap will be from January 1.
The latest estimate from energy consultancy Auxilione forecasts that the price cap for next January will go by £620 to £5,012.
The energy price cap limits the maximum energy suppliers can charge customers for each unit of gas and electricity on the standard variable tariff.
But it does not protect customers from wholesale prices.
It's not a cap on how much you can be charged for the energy that you use – so if you use more expect to pay more.
And those on prepayment meters will usually have a higher cap.
- Louis Allwood
When will the new energy price cap come in to place?
On average per year energy bills are set to rocket to £3,549, the Ofgem announced at the end of August.
But it will come into affect on October 1.
Those who pay their energy bills by direct debit will see their bills increase by 80% from £1,971 to £3,549.
Those who don't pay for their energy by direct debit will see their bills hiked from £2,100 to £3,764.
Meanwhile those on prepayment meters will see their bills increase by £1,591 as the price cap for these customers moved from £2,017 a year to £3,608 a year.
- Louis Allwood
How can you save money on petrol?
Motorists can save money on petrol by search for cheapest places.
Confused.com offer a petrol price comparison tool that can make things easier when looking for the best deal.
Supermarket forecourts in most areas regularly rank as the cheapest places for petrol.
In some cases there can be differences of around 4p per litre between petrol stations within a few miles of each other.
That may not sound like a lot but if you filled a 50litre tank each week it would amount to a difference of £2, and £96 a year.
- Louis Allwood
Top tips on getting the most use from school uniforms (2/2)
During the typical British weather it is not uncommon for kids to get covered in mud.
As soon as you see any mud on your child’s uniform, soak it immediately in a cold bowl of water with three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda.
Leave this soaking for an hour and then wash as normal.
During play time children can't seem to avoid grass stains and with this type of stain it’s important to dab over the area with methylated spirits and then let it dry out completely.
Once it dries, you can then throw it in your washing machine.
- Louis Allwood
Top tips on getting the most use from school uniforms (1/2)
Many parents will know the feeling of when their child comes home from school with stains all over their clothes, so here are some tips on getting them out.
With ink stains the key is to spray it with hairspray first and then blot over the area with a paper towel.
However, if it's a Biro pen instead, then these stains can be removed if you lightly soak the item of clothing in some milk.
Moving on to crayon stains parents can try freezing the fabric first, this will harden the crayon and then you should be able to scrape off any excess crayon. Once this is done, turn on an iron at a medium heat setting.
While it’s heating up, put a paper towel on top of and underneath the stained area and gently press the warm iron over it. Hopefully, it should move the stain onto the paper towel instead.
- Louis Allwood
What you need to know about Cost of Living payments
- All the key dates for cost of living payments revealed
- Every household will get a £400 cost of living payment to help with energy bills
- See the full list of benefits eligible for £650 cost of living cash
- Here’s free cash you can get if you DON’T qualify for the £650 cost of living payment
- Millions of pensioners will get a £300 cost of living payment this winter
- Disabled Brits will get £150 this September
- Parents can get up to £200 towards school uniform costs
Boris tells Brits to buy a £20 kettle in order to reduce bills
In a rather bizarre move, the outgoing PM has suggested Brits upgrade their kettles, in order to save £10 a year on energy bills.
Comparing the upgrade to going from fossil fuels to nuclear power, Johnson said: “If you have an old kettle that takes ages to boil, it may cost you £20 to replace it.
“But if you get a new one you will save ten pounds a year on your electricity bill.”
This speech came as Mr Johnson announced a £700million investment in the new Sizewell C site in Suffolk, he said when it was up and running fuel bills would be cut by some £3billion.
- Louis Allwood
Every energy firm set to pay the £400 rebate
Brits are set to receive a £400 energy rebate this winter and next spring.
In some cases, the money will be returned to customers after they pay their bills, in six separate instalments from October 2022 to March 2023.
Other firms, however, are simply deducting the money from monthly bills.
Here are the energy firms taking part in the scheme:
- British Gas
- Bulb
- E.ON and E.ON Next
- EDF
- Scottish Power
- Shell Energy
- SSE and Ovo Energy
- Octopus Energy
- Utilita
- Utility Warehouse
Interest rate hike could hit on September 15
On September 15 there will be a Bank of England meeting and it could spell more bad news for people during the cost of living crisis.
The meeting could conclude with a possible interest rate hike.
Last In August, the BoE increased the base rate of interest by 0.5 percentage points to 1.75% – the biggest hike in 27 years.
Economists expect this could increase to as high as 2.25% in September.
Interest rates are being hiked to curb runaway inflation.
Another rate rise could have a significant impact on your finances – especially homeowners.
'British households will be 10% worse off on average'
Research has suggested that Brits are set to be hit with a massive £3,000 decrease in spending power by the end of next year.
Resolution Foundation thinktank has claimed that British households will be 10% worse off on average, and 3 million people will fall into poverty.
Resolution described these results as “shocking” and “terrifying.”
Energy operators offering support
As bills continue to skyrocket, energy suppliers are offering help to struggling Brits.
To check if your energy operator is offering a support scheme, either contact them or check the list below.
- British Gas Energy Trust
- Bulb energy fund
- EDF’s energy customer support fund
- E.on’s energy fund
- Npower’s energy fund
- Ovo’s debt and energy assistance
- Scottish Power’s hardship fund
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