DWP, Universal Credit, PIP and other help you can apply for this winter

Senior man reading touching letter from friend, notification about increased healthcare costs, bad medical test results, hight utility bill. Elderly man feeling anxious, sad and sentiment.
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DWP could be at hand this winter to help with the cost of living. With Winter Fuel Payments being cut for many, and the axe set to fall on spending in the Budget in October, many are feeling the pinch.

The cost of living is still seeing many households struggle. Bills such as heating have increased with food shopping also seeing a rise for many. On top of that, mortgages have risen too, meaning when it comes to taking out a new rate, households budgets have to be even more tight.

Inflation reached the Bank of England’s 2 percent target in June for the first time in three years - however, it went up to 2.2 percent in July, where it remained in August - a predicted rise due to prices of gas and electricity falling by less than they did a year before.

In September, research from The Trussell Trust showed nearly half of those receiving Universal Credit ran out of food in the previous month - and numbers are not expected to get better anytime soon. The charity is saying 68 per cent of these households also struggled to afford essentials over the past six months, reports The Independent.

To help tackle the issue, the new Labour government has pledged to deal with its underlying causes. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall has said the DWP will focus on tackling “economic inactivity,” aiming to boost employment with their new ‘Back to Work’ plan and at the end of September, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will reveal her first budget with experts expecting tax rises and spending cuts to be announced. Speaking in August, the prime minister said people would have to "accept short-term pain for long-term good" further warning that October's Budget will be "painful" and the government will have to make "big asks" of the public.

So to help people deal with the cost of living and to see if they can get any help to ease any financial strain, here is information for benefits you may be able to claim.

What benefits can I get this year?

Each benefit of course depends on your personal financial situation as well as, in some cases, your age, your health and where you live. Benefits that you may be able to get include:

  • Universal Credit

  • State pension

  • Pension credit

  • Child benefit

  • Disability living allowance

  • Personal independence payment

  • Attendance allowance

  • Carer’s allowance

  • Employment support allowance

  • Income support

  • Jobseeker’s allowance

State pension payment schedule - how and when you'll get yours

According to the Express, to be eligible for the state pension you must reach the state pension age, which is currently set at 66 for both women and men. However, there are planned increases meaning that from 2026 to 2028, the age will go up to 67 for those born on or after April 1960, and a further increase to 68 is scheduled between 2044 and 2046 for individuals born on or after 1977.

The amount of pension you receive depends on your National Insurance Contributions (NICs) during your working life. To receive the full new state pension, you need at least 35 qualifying years of contributions, and you need at least 10 years to receive any pension. For those who reached state pension age before April 2016, 30 years of contributions are required for the full basic state pension. For those yet to reach state pension age, the government provides an online tool to check your state pension forecast, which includes the amount you might receive, when payments will start, and any potential increases.

What day is the state pension paid?

The new state pension is typically paid every four weeks into the account you prefer. Payments are made in arrears for the previous four weeks, which explains why the increased payments for April will not be fully received until May. The specific day you receive your payment is determined by your National Insurance number, but if it falls on a bank holiday, you may receive your pension earlier, says GOV.UK.

Last two digits of your National Insurance number

Payment day of the week

00-19

Monday

20-39

Tuesday

40-59

Wednesday

60-79

Thursday

80-99

Friday

Can I get any other financial help?

You may be able to get help depending on who your energy provider is with Octopus urging their customers in an email to see if they can claim £150 as part of the Warm Home Discount payment. Depending on who you are with, it's worth looking on their website or giving them a call to see how they can help you.

You can also get a council tax discount if you live alone. you may even be able to get a discount if you're a student or older person. You can check on the gov.uk website here how you can get a reduced payment.

You can find out what support you might be able to get to help with your living costs. You can get benefits and other financial support if you’re eligible. For a full list you can check benefits and other financial support you can get via the gov.uk website here.