Cost of living and discretionary support

Updated July 23

There is now less government support available for energy bills. On 30 June 2023, the Energy Price Guarantee ended, with the Ofgem price cap taking over. This means that the typical annual household energy bill is around £2,100. The £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme ended in April 2023, with an extension for prepayment meter customers until 30 June.

Cost of Living Support

The UK Government has announced a series of one-off measures to help households with the high cost of energy this winter, many of which have already been paid.

For more information on the help announced visit www.gov.uk/helpforhouseholds.

Universal Support – Energy Bill Support Scheme

The Energy Bills Support Scheme is now closed.

Discretionary Hardship Support

• Local authorities across England are issuing support through their Household Support Funds this has been extended to the end of March 2023. Contact you local authority to find out what help might be available to you. Find your local authority at www.gov.uk/find-local-council
  
• The Welsh Government is continuing to provide additional crisis support via its:
  
  • An expanded £200 Welsh Fuel Support Scheme payment to help towards energy bills, regardless of how households pay for their energy and whether they use on-grid or off-grid fuels. Eligible households needed to claim this via their local council between 26 September 2022 and 28 February 2023.
  • A Wales-wide Fuel Voucher Scheme is still available. This is run in partnership with the Fuel Bank Foundation and is designed to help households in crisis who must pay for their energy in advance (on or off-grid fuels). Households may contact Advicelink Cymru on 0800 702 2020 to find out more.
  • Households in financial hardship can continue to apply for emergency assistance payments under the Welsh Government’s Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF). This includes help to top-up gas and electricity prepayment meters, or oil and LPG. Visit gov.wales/discretionary-assistance-fund-daf for more details.

Cost-of-living support in 2023-24

The Government has announced cost-of-living payments to be issued across 2023-2024:

• Low-income cost of living payment will be £900 paid to those on means-tested benefits. Payments will be paid in three instalments. £301 in Spring 2023, £300 in Autumn 2023, and £299 paid in Spring 2024
• Pensioner cost of living payment will be £300 to be paid in the Winter 2023/24, this will be paid to those in receipt of Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) and likely to be paid with the WFP or around the same time.
• Disability cost of living payment will be £150 for those in receipt of a non-means tested disability benefit. This will be paid in Summer 2023.