10 ways to get free cash as snow and freezing temperatures hit the UK – and you could get thousands of pounds
TEMPERATURES have already dropped this week, with snow already hitting most parts of the country.
This means even the most defiant households will be tempted to turn their heating on to keep warm.
It's important vulnerable households do their best to keep warm - even though everyone's worrying about energy bills.
Bills rose again in October when the energy price cap went up, and fresh analysis shows they're set to spike again in January.
That's why we all need to be doing what we can to cut costs.
It can sometimes just take tweaking your thermostat, to slash hundreds of pounds off your bills.
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It comes as much of the energy bill support that was available last winter such as the cost of living payment and the £400 bill discount has been axed.
So, if you're in need of extra help here are ways to get cash to help with costs and keep your bills down.
Cold weather payments - £25 a week
As a result of temperatures hitting below zero, thousands of struggling households will be given a free £25 towards energy bills.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) hands out these payments during the winter when chilly weather triggers the payments.
Cold weather payments are made in locations where residents experience continuous below-zero weather.
Those receiving certain benefits, having a disability or caring for a child are eligible.
Some areas which experienced extended periods of freezing temperatures received multiple payouts, adding up to as much as £75.
Here's the full list of postcodes that have qualified for one £25 payment over the 2024-25 winter period so far.
Emergency credit - worth £10
Energy companies usually offer emergency credit, though you will have to pay this back.
British Gas doubled the amount customers can get in an emergency due to the cost of living crisis.
It means households with a top-up key or card can go £10 into debt before they're cut off.
How much you get and how it's applied will depend on who your supplier is.
It might be added to your meter when you fall below a certain amount or you might have to ask for it.
You might get extra if you are vulnerable, for example, if you have a health condition or are over state pension age.
You'll have to repay the cash next time you top up, but you can speak to your supplier about how much you'll pay back and over what time.
Pension Credit - £3,900
This benefit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over the state pension age and on a low income.
Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
This is a separate to your state pension and you can qualify for the scheme even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.
The support also opens up eligibility for social tariffs, the Warm Home Discount, cheaper broadband, free TV licenses, lower water bills and the Winter Fuel Payment.
When applying, you must flag if you are single or living with a partner.
You’ll be eligible if either:
- You and your partner have both reached the State Pension age
- One of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age
Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.
Pension Credit explained
Pension Credit is a benefit which gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re on a low income in retirement.
It can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
You may be able to get extra help of you're a carer, have a disability, or are responsible for a child.
It also opens up access to lots of other benefits such as the warm home discount scheme, support for mortgage interest, council tax discounts, free TV licences once you’re over 75, and help with NHS costs.
To qualify, you need to be over state pension age and live in England, Scotland or Wales.
If you have a partner, you need to include them on your claim.
Pension Credit tops up:
- your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single
- your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner
However, even if your income is higher, you might still qualify if you have a disability or caring responsibilities.
There is also another element to Pension Credit called savings credit. To get this, you need to have saved some money towards your retirement.
You can get an extra £17.01 a week for a single person or £19.04 a week for a married couple.
If you have more than £10,000 in savings, the government uses a calculation to work out how much it adds to your income.
Every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.
Cash for paying rent - up to £965
There's cash help for anyone struggling from your local council through the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP).
Anyone claiming Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit could be eligible if they are struggling with rent costs.
Each local authority dishes out the cash to those in need on a case-by-case basis and the amounts available can vary.
The Sun previously found that the average DHP was £965, based on freedom of information requests sent to 30 of the biggest councils.
The difference in the maximum amount given out ranged from £32,000 in Brent to £145 in Wakefield, based on the 17 councils that responded.
We've rounded up everything you need to know about who can get the cash and how to claim.
Charity grants - £500
Plenty of charities are keen to help out in response to the government scaling back the winter fuel payment and to help people through the cost of living crisis.
For those living with cancer, Macmillan's Financial Grants Scheme was established to help support those who are struggling to cover essential living costs.
People living with MND are also eligible for up to £500 worth of cost of living payments, via the MND Association.
The Suffolk Community Foundation has launched the 14th year of its annual Surviving Winter appeal, which is in response to winter fuel payments being slashed.
The British Legion has also set up a Cost of Living grant, which can be applied for here using the Lightning Reach portal.
You can also find out what grants may be available to you using Turn2Us's grant search on the charity website.
There is a huge range of grants available for different people – including those who are bereaved, disabled, unemployed, redundant, ill, a carer, veteran, young person or old person.
Household support fund - up to £500
Local councils are giving out cash to help households struggling with bills and other essential costs.
How much you can get depends on where you live.
The HSF pot is worth £421million in total.
The fund has been split up between councils in England which are in charge of distributing their allocation before the end of April.
What you can get depends on where you live, as each local authority has been given its own unique amount.
Some families across England are being offered up to £500 per household depending on your location.
The government recently encouraged state pensioners who have just missed out on a Winter Fuel Payment to claim money from the Household Support Fund where they live instead.
You can search for yours using the search tool on gov.uk - just enter your postcode.
Local councils also offer welfare assistance schemes all year round that can help you with bills.
Energy grants - up to £1,500
There are plenty of energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you're struggling.
British Gas has confirmed it'll pay its most vulnerable customers grants worth £750 to help with sky-high bills.
And the British Gas Energy Trust pays hard-up households up to £1,500 - and it doesn't matter if they're not a British Gas customer.
Ask your supplier what's on offer and how to apply, or check here:
- British Gas Energy Trust
- Bulb energy fund
- EDF's energy customer support fund
- E.on's energy fund
- Octopus Energy Octo Assist fund
- Ovo's debt and energy assistance
- Scottish Power's hardship fund
There's also a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier if you're on a prepayment meter.
We've already listed the detailed eligibility criteria for each scheme.
Fuel vouchers - worth £50
If you're on a prepayment meter you might be able to get a one-off voucher to top up.
The fuel voucher scheme comes via the Fuel Bank Foundation charity, and it's offered through a range of organisations, like food banks and Citizens Advice.
The best place to start to find somewhere which can offer you a fuel voucher is by asking your local council - you can find yours via gov.uk by searching your postcode.
The voucher should help you cover around two weeks' worth of electricity use.
Some energy companies may also issue their own vouchers, so ask your supplier directly.
Winter Fuel Payment - £300
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.
Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.
Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you do meet the criteria but don't automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to apply on the government's website.
You'll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:
- you were born on or before September 23, 1958
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the "qualifying week"
- you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:
- you live in Switzerland or a EEA country
- you have a "genuine and sufficient" link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK
But there are exclusions - you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
You will also not qualify if you:
- are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole "qualifying week"
- lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
Warm home discount - £150
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount 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.
Applications for the scheme open in October, however, you may not get the help until next March.
To qualify you'll usually need to be actively claiming one of a number of means-tested benefits during the qualifying week - which is usually in August.
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However, if you later launch a successful claim for backdated benefits, you may still be able to qualify after this date and once it's confirmed.
If you qualify for the WHD, you should receive a letter telling you. These are usually sent between October and January.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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