Cost Of Living Help
Cost Of Living Help & Advice
With the cost of living rising, many of us are feeling under financial pressure – but there is lots of support available to help you to cope with the increase in food prices, heating bills and the general rise in your cost of living.
Nehemiah Housing Association exists to provide affordable homes and a comfortable, supportive community for all our tenants across the West Midlands communities we serve.
We are here to support you and ensure you can stay in your home and maintain your tenancy with us. If you have any money worries or have fallen behind with your rent payments, contact your Housing Officer straightaway.
We can provide information on budget planning as well as refer you to specialist organisations like Birmingham Settlement for free advice on money and benefits.
Together, we will find a way to create a payment plan that works for you for paying your rent so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you want advice or have any money worries.
Money Saving Tips
To help reduce your household bills and ensure you are receiving the benefits you are entitled to, Nehemiah has put together some money saving tips:
- Are you entitled to benefits including Universal Credit? Check your benefits eligibility to make sure you are not missing out. The charity Turn 2 Us has a useful benefits checker tool on their website https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/ or use independent benefits calculator website Entitled To here
- Make a budget plan for your household to check if there are any cutbacks in memberships or subscriptions you can make.
- Turn the thermostat down by just one degree to save up to £100 on your annual heating bill. Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has some more tips here
- Contact your energy provider to see if you can arrange a better payment plan to help spread the cost.
- When replacing appliances, choose energy efficient ones to help reduce your bills.
Help Available From The Government
- Household Support Fund
This is a one-off grant of up to £200 to help towards essential costs in the home. Contact your local council to find out more and if you’re eligible. - Fuel Payment
All households in England, Scotland and Wales will get £400 this winter to help with fuel bills – a £66 discount will be applied to energy bills in October and November, and a £67 discount will be applied each month from December until March 2023. If you are on a traditional pre payment meter you will receive a voucher from your energy provider. See If you have a traditional prepayment meter for more information. - Council Tax Rebate
All households in council tax bands A to D in England will get £150 back automatically. If you don’t pay your council tax by Direct Debit, contact your local council about getting this rebate. - Cost of Living Payment
You could receive up to 3 different types of payment, depending on your situation – low-income benefits or tax credits, disability cost of living payment and pensioner cost of living payment. - Warm Home Discount
Three million low-income households are entitled to a £150 rebate on their winter electricity bills. Check with your supplier if you are eligible for this. - Winter Fuel Payments
Pensioners can get between £100 and £300 to help them pay their heating bills. You can check if you are eligible here.
Ensure you are getting all the help you are entitled to
If you get referred to Birmingham Settlement they will help you do a Benefit Check to ensure you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, at the correct amounts
If you have debts that are being paid through deductions from your benefit it may be possible to get the rate of deduction reduced if you are in financial hardship.
Check the Benefit Calculators – www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators website
Also ensure you are not missing out on an old pension from a previous employer. Use the Pension Tracing Service on www.gov.uk website: www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details to help trace an old pension
The MoneyHelper website is an easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all money and pension choices www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en
There is help for people and these websites below will be able to help you further.
