Page 7 - Community Living Magazine 36-1

welfare rights
Help at a time of financial crisis

Temporary schemes to assist people meet energy and other as this issue went to press. Most people
costs have been brought in, with payments being made who qualify because they are entitled to
tax credits will get their two payments in
automatically. Charlie Callanan explains how they work September and in the coming winter.
Disability cost of living payment is
payable to any client who gets a disability
onsumer champion Martin Lewis benefit, regardless of the rate and/or
has stated that the UK is “facing a component they receive. The amount is
Cpotential national financial £150 and will be paid to clients from
cataclysm” and ex-prime minister Gordon September 2022.
Brown has described the cost of living Qualifying benefits include personal
situation as a humanitarian crisis. independence payment, attendance
Brown has called on the government to allowance, disability living allowance
produce an emergency budget in (adult or child) or adult or child disability
response, including raising rates of payment (Scotland only). The claimant
welfare benefits this autumn rather must have received the benefit for a
than waiting to make annual increases period that included 25 May 2022.
next April. The pensioner cost of living payment of
My article in last winter’s Community £300 will be paid to pension-age people
Living (“Help to pay the winter fuel bills”) Clocking up: spiralling costs of domestic fuel will on top of their regular winter fuel
described the main schemes to help with be partly offset by payments to most households payment for winter 2022–23. It will be
energy costs. Since then, the government paid with the normal payment from
has introduced some temporary financial How the money is credited depends on November 2022.
support to meet fuel and other bills. how the consumer pays their fuel bills. The payments and credits awarded
New prime minister Liz Truss has frozen For most people, it will be applied to the from either scheme (to help with energy
energy bills at £2,500 for 2023. This is bill by their supplier. bills or cost of living) are not counted as
welcome, if inadequate. Clients who use prepayment meters income so do not affect benefits or
It is widely recognised that the financial that are not smart meters will be provided tax credits.
outlook for many looks dire, especially for with vouchers to redeem at their usual People who are eligible should be paid
those needing the most support, including top-up point. automatically. This includes where the
disabled people on low incomes. claimant is found at a later date to have
The greatest concerns continue to be Cash to help with cost of living been eligible for a payment, for example
about the seemingly ever-rising cost of The other main tranche of financial because they were waiting for a decision
domestic fuel. support being provided by the on a claim for a qualifying disability benefit.
The UK’s annual energy price cap (based government across the UK comes under
on typical household use of both gas and the umbrella of cost of living payments. People on low incomes will
electricity) is expected to go up from just Three types of payments are being
under £2,000 to as high as £3,359 this provided: to people on low incomes; to receive a cost of living
autumn. Further increases to the cap are disabled people; and to pensioners. It is payment worth £650 if they
predicted in the first two quarters of 2023. possible for a client to qualify for all three.
Other regular bills are also increasing, Entitlement is based on qualification for get a qualifying benefit
notably the cost of food and motor fuel. certain benefits at particular dates or
Inflation is 9.4% and the Bank of England within specific time periods.
is predicting this will go above 13% by People on low incomes will receive a If a client does not get a payment they
early next year. cost of living payment worth £650 if they believe they should have been awarded,
At the time of writing, two main get a qualifying means-tested benefit. this can be reported online to the
temporary sources of financial help These are universal credit, income-based Department for Work and Pensions.
were available. jobseeker’s allowance, income-related
employment and support allowance, More help this autumn
Money towards fuel bills income support, pension credit, and child The Household Support Scheme might be
The Energy Bills Support Scheme will tax credit and/or working tax credit. funded for new applications from October
provide a payment to help almost all bill The amount is the same whether the 2022. Benefits from the scheme, which
payers in Great Britain with the cost of gas claimant is getting their benefit as a single may include money or vouchers, provision
and electricity. person or as part of a couple. of food or goods or grants to third parties,
This scheme will provide a one-off It is paid in two parts. The first payment are awarded by local authorities to
discount totalling £400, given as six of £326 was made this summer (the residents who need support.
Christy Lawrance March. All households with a domestic 2022). The second part of £324 will be other items, fuel bills. Keep an eye
Support can include help with, among
separate payments between October and
qualifying period was 26 April-25 May
out this autumn for information about
paid this autumn, although the qualifying
electricity connection will automatically
dates or period were yet to be announced
get it without having to apply.
this scheme. n
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 36 No 1 | Autumn 2022 7