Household costs and bills

Support and information about payments and discounts.

Updated: 11 May 2023

Guidance on getting extra payments to help with the cost of living if you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits.

You may be able to get up to 5 payments to help with the cost of living if you’re getting certain benefits or tax credits.

You do not need to apply. If you’re eligible, you’ll be paid automatically in the same way you usually get your benefit or tax credits. This includes if you’re found to be eligible at a later date.

These payments are not taxable and will not affect the benefits or tax credits you get.

Beware of Scams:
The Household Support Fund scheme does not require banking details to provide support and we will never request this information over the telephone. If you receive any calls requesting this information, claiming to be from a local council, please be vigilant and follow the advice below:

Report the call to Action Fraud.
Contact Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 for advice if you need it.
Alert your bank if you have already given out your bank details.

What cost-of-living payments will be available?
Some people will receive payments to help with higher bills, including:

£900 in total in three instalments in spring, autumn and spring 2024 to households on means-tested benefits
£300 for pensioner households in the winter
£150 to people on certain disability benefits, paid in the summer

Who is eligible for the £900?
The payment, in three instalments, is available to households who receive the following benefits:

Universal Credit
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income Support
working tax credit
child tax credit
pension credit

The first instalment of £301, started to be paid on 25 April.

Get in touch

You can contact the Northumberland Community Together response hub if you are unsure about any information and want to talk to a friendly person.

Phone the community response hub on 01670 620015 from 9am to 6pm 7 days a week or email NCT@northumberland.gov.uk.

Disability Cost of Living Payment

You may be entitled to a Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 if you get any of the following benefits on a certain date:

Attendance Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance
Disability Living Allowance for adults
Disability Living Allowance for children
Personal Independence Payment
Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
Armed Forces Independence Payment
War Pension Mobility Supplement

When you’ll be paid
Most people will be paid the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment during summer 2023.

Payments will be made to people who were getting a qualifying disability from DWP before payments to people who were getting a qualifying benefit from the Ministry of Defence.

Your payment might come later, for example if you’re awarded a qualifying benefit at a later date or you change the account your benefit or tax credits are paid into. You will still be paid the Cost of Living Payment automatically.

Pensioner Cost of Living Payment

If you’re entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023 to 2024, you will get an extra £150 or £300 paid with your normal payment from November 2023.

The full amount of Winter Fuel Payment (including the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment) you will get for winter 2023 to 2024 depends on when you were born and your circumstances during the qualifying dates.

You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023 to 2024 if you were born before 25 September 1957.

Pension Tax Credit
An estimated 850,000 pensioner households in the UK do not claim pension credit, which is a gateway to these extra payments.

Other eligibility details are outlined here.

What cost of living payments have people already received?

Two payments totalling £650 were made last year to more than eight million low-income households.

The first instalment of £326 was paid between 14 and 31 July. The second instalment of £324 should have reached those eligible by the end of December.

Payments of £300 were also paid to pensioners during the winter just gone, and a £150 payment was also made last year to those with disabilities.

Some people would have received all of those payments, if they were eligible.

What other support has been available?

Everyone's energy bill was cut by at least £400 last winter.

This was applied over six months, with a £66 reduction in October and November, and a £67 discount every month between December and March.

The discount was made automatically by energy suppliers in England.

You can get benefits and other financial support if you’re eligible.

If you’re caring for someone, are disabled or have a health condition, if you're looking for work or on a low income or temporarily unable to work you may be able to claim.

If you would like to make sure you're getting the right benefits try our benefits calculator and budgeting tool or speak to Northumberland Communities Together on 01670 620015 - 9am to 6pm, 7 days a week.

Click here for more information about cost of living payments.

If you are worried about an elderly or vulnerable person, or a neighbour and they don’t have family or friends nearby we can connect and support.

Please contact Northumberland Communities Together on 01670 620015 from 9am to 6pm 7 days a week or email NCT@northumberland.gov.uk.

Onecall

Onecall is one number for all adult social care, children’s services and community health enquiries in Northumberland, helping the most vulnerable people to keep safe and well 24-7.

If you are worried about the immediate welfare (health or well-being) of an elderly or vulnerable person contact Onecall - 01670 536400 - 24 hour service, 365 days a year.