Get help with the cost of living

If you’re eligible, the government will send you:

• a payment of £300 in autumn 2023 

• a payment of £299 during spring 2024

To get these payments, you’ll need to be eligible for certain benefits. We’ll update our advice when the government have announced more information about who’s eligible.

The government have already given 3 Cost of Living Payments to people who get certain benefits. The government sent the last payment between 25 April and 17 May 2023 - this was a payment of £301.

If you didn't get the latest Cost of Living Payment

You should have got this payment if you get any of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit

• Pension Credit

• Working Tax Credit

• Child Tax Credit

• income-based Jobseekers Allowance

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Income Support

You’ll have only got one £301 payment - even if you get more than 1 of these benefits. 

To get the latest payment you must have either:

• been entitled to a benefits payment on any day between 26 January and 25 February 2023

• started a successful benefit claim by 25 February 2023 - or by 26 January 2023 if you're applying for Universal Credit

If you’re waiting for a decision on your benefits claim, you won’t get the Cost of Living Payment until your claim is successful.

If your benefits are paid to someone else, like your landlord, you should still have got the Cost of Living Payment.

If you think you should have received a Cost of Living Payment, you can report a missing payment on GOV.UK.

The government gave a £150 Cost of Living Payment to people getting disability benefits between 20 June and 4 July 2023.

You would have been eligible for this one-off payment if you get any of the following benefits:

• Disability Living Allowance

• Personal Independence Payment

• Attendance Allowance

• Adult Disability Payment

• Child Disability Payment

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

• Constant Attendance Allowance

• War Pension Mobility Supplement

To get this payment you must have:

• been getting one of these benefits on 1 April 2023

• applied for one of these benefits by 1 April 2023 - you won't get the payment until your claim is successful

If you haven't received a previous Cost of Living Payment

If you think you should have received a Cost of Living Payment, you can report a missing payment on GOV.UK.

You'll either get a £300 or £150 Cost of Living Payment, depending on your situation. You'll get this at the same time as your usual Winter Fuel Payment from November 2023.

You’ll get a £300 Cost of Living Payment if you live either:

• on your own 

• with people who don’t qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment

If you live with someone else who qualifies for the Winter Fuel Payment, the amount you’ll get depends on whether either of you get any of the following:

• Pension Credit

• income-related Employment Support Allowance

• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

If either you or the person you live with gets one of these benefits, you’ll both get £300 - as long as you’re not partners. If you’re partners, you’ll only get one £300 payment.

If neither of you gets one of these benefits, you’ll both get £150.

If you live in residential care and qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment, you'll get £150 unless you get any of these benefits.

Check if you need to apply for Winter Fuel Payments

You're usually entitled to Winter Fuel Payments if you’re of State Pension age in the third week of September. The State Pension age is 66.

You should start getting the Winter Fuel Payment automatically once you reach State Pension age. You might need to apply if you're in one of these situations:

• you don't get State Pension

• you don't get another benefit

• you live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

You can find out how to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK.

There are things you can do if you’re struggling to pay your rent and bills.

You can check what help and support you can get with your rent and bills.

If you’re struggling to pay for food, find out how to get help from a food bank.

If you’re pregnant or have a child under 3, you might be able to get free vitamins and a Best Start Foods prepaid card to spend on:

• milk

• vegetables

• eggs

• pulses - like beans and lentils 

Find out more about Best Start Foods.

You might be able to get help paying for NHS charges, for example:

• dental treatment

• sight tests, glasses and contact lenses

• travel to NHS treatment

Check what help you can get with health costs.

You might be able to get help if:

• your child is at school

• your child is in childcare

• you’re pregnant or you’ve recently had a baby

If your child is at school

If you’re on a low income or claim certain benefits, you might be able to get help with the costs of sending your children to school.

For example, you could get:

• free school meals

• free transport to school

• a grant to help to buy school clothes or uniforms

• help with school trips

If your child is in childcare 

If you’re on a low income or claim certain benefits, you might be able to get help with childcare costs. For example:

• if you work and claim Universal Credit, you might be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs - you could get up to £950.92 a month for 1 child under 17 or £1,630.15 for 2 or more children

• if you have a 2 year old, you might be able to claim up to 15 hours of free childcare a week

If you work, you might be able to claim Tax-Free Childcare. This is a government scheme that helps parents with childcare costs like holiday clubs, childminders and nurseries. You can get up to:

• £2,000 a year for each child under 12

• £4,000 a year for each disabled child under 17

You won’t be able to receive Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers if you get Tax-Free Childcare. Work out which option is best for you before applying.

If you have a 3- or 4-year-old, you can get up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning or childcare a year - around 30 hours a week in term time. Read more about early learning and childcare on the Parent Club website.

Check what help you’re eligible for on the UK government’s Childcare Choices website.

If you’re pregnant or have a baby or young child

You could get a one-off payment to help with the costs of having a baby or young child. You usually qualify if you get certain benefits. Find out how to apply for a Best Start Grant.

You might be able to get support from a local baby bank - these offer free essentials like nappies, toys, shoes and clothes. 

Some food banks also provide nappies, baby wipes and baby food. 

Search online to find your nearest baby bank or food bank - or speak to your midwife or health visitor. 

Find out more about maternity pay and parental rights.

Contact your local council to check if they offer free or discounted travel - for example, if you’re:

• in education

• on a work placement

• unemployed and looking for work

• a veteran

You can find your local council on GOV.UK.

Find out about help with travel costs if you’re older or disabled.

Find out about help with travel costs for younger people.

If you're a young person living in Scotland and have been getting certain benefits, you might be able to get a Job Start Payment.

It helps with the costs of starting a job, like help with travel or clothing costs.

Find out more about Job Start Payment.

If you’re using a food bank, you might be able to ask for some things, like pet food. Check with your local food bank if they’re able to help.

You can also check if there’s a pet food bank in your area. Ask your local vet or pet shop, or search online for 'pet food bank' and your local town.

You might be able to find free pet food collection points at your local supermarket, pet store or animal charity.

Find out more about what help you can get to feed your pet on the SSPCA website.

Get help with vet care

You might be eligible for free or reduced vet care from a charity such as PDSA.

Check if you can get free or reduced vet care on the PDSA website.

Get help with vet bills

If you’re struggling to pay your vet bills, talk to your vet about payment options - like reducing the bill or setting up a payment plan.

If you can’t set up an affordable payment plan, you should get debt advice. Your vet might decide to stop treating your pet if you owe money.