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Millions of people across the UK are struggling to meet their financial obligations as the cost of living crisis persists.
A Financial Conduct Authority study has put the total as high as 10 million, reporting a 3.1 million increase year-on-year and warning that many are having to choose between heating and eating and being forced to cancel insurance policies to make ends meet.
With inflation still in double digits at 10.1 per cent, the cost of goods in supermarket aisles and on high street shelves remains high – doubling in many cases, according to a recent survey from Which? – household budgets continue to be stretched after a long winter of sky-high energy bills.
And, while there is state support available to help those up against it on low incomes, several government initiatives that promised help throughout the winter, such as the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payment schemes, have now ceased to apply, subsiding on 1 April with the changing of the seasons.
The government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme, introduced by Rishi Sunak during his time in 11 Downing Street last year, has also now wound up, dishing out the final £67 instalment of its £400 total in late March.
Below, we look at what support is available to households this June.
Extra £1,350 of support being paid out
Despite the expiration of the Energy Bill Support Scheme, millions of households on low incomes will nevertheless receive further cost of living support from the government this year worth up to £1,350 in total.
Eight million eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including people on universal credit, pension credit and tax credits, will receive £900 in instalments from this spring, with the money going directly to bank accounts in three payments, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said.
There will also be a separate £150 payment for more than six million people with disabilities and an extra £300 for over eight million pensioners.
Here are the payment windows that have been announced so far, with more precise dates expected later in the year:
- £301 – First cost of living payment – already issued between 25 April and 17 May (or 2 to 9 May for people on tax credits but no other low-income benefits)
- £150 – Disability payment – during summer 2023
- £300 – Second cost of living payment – during autumn 2023
- £300 – Pensioner payment – during winter 2023/4
- £299 – Third cost of living payment – during spring 2024
Energy Price Guarantee still in play
There was some good news in Jeremy Hunt’s Budget of 15 March when the chancellor announced that the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) – introduced by Liz Truss last September to ensure households paid no more than £2,500 for their electricity and gas, with the government subsidising the remainder owed to providers under Ofgem’s Energy Price Cap – would be extended for a further three months.
Mr Hunt had reportedly been tempted to increase the EPG to £3,000, a considerably less generous offer that would have eased the burden on the state, but ultimately thought better of it, extending the guarantee into April, May and June.
“High energy bills are one of the biggest worries for families, which is why we’re maintaining the energy price guarantee at its current level,” the chancellor told Parliament in his Spring Statement.
“With energy bills set to fall from July onwards, this temporary change will bridge the gap and ease the pressure on families, while also helping to lower inflation too.”
Without that help in place, the average household would have been paying an annualised bill of £4,279 between January and April but, because of the EPG, that was reduced to £2,500 with the government picking up the remaining £1,779.
Ofgem has since dropped the price cap by 23 per cent to £3,280 for the second quarter of the year, with Mr Hunt’s decision meaning the public will continue to be shielded rather than pay that full amount while the state will be paying considerably less, more like £780 per household.
Benefits going out as usual
The usual state support in the shape of benefits and pensions payments will also be going out as usual in June, with no bank holidays scheduled to confuse delivery dates.
Anyone expecting to receive any of the following from the DWP can expect their money on the usual date this month.
- Universal credit
- State pension
- Pension credit
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payment
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Employment support allowance
- Income support
- Jobseeker’s allowance
For more information on how and when state benefits are paid, please visit the government’s website.
Additional help
Other recent announcements from the DWP concern the date from which manual applicants can apply for the next Winter Fuel Payment later this year (18 September) – which could be worth between £250 and £600, according to need – and a reminder that those of state pension age (66 or above) suffering from a medical condition or disability could be entitled to £272.40 or £407 per month to pay for their care under the Attendance Allowance scheme.
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June dates for DWP payments, benefits, pensions and cost of living top ups - The Independent
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