Some families to get a total of £1,200 cash, to support with cost of living crisis.

[flashbac]

Highlights:
All families can now keep the 200 quid energy payment, no longer repayment based. This will be topped up to £400.
Low income families to get £650 straight into bank account.
(Non means tested) disabled benefit recipients to get £150.
All in all some will receive total of £1,200.
Funded by windfall tax.

Let me try that again...will account for and careful not carful...clearly my brain has scrambled with envy at the thought that not using £250 over the winter months could ever be a concern.

I was shocked yesterday when in PMQs Johnson said his party had lowered NI and all Labour wanted to do was increase taxes again

@FourTeaFallOut obviously very, very careful... or perhaps we are on the wrong rate?? Or maybe they haven't done the prediction correctly but our bills are crazily low all the time (and have been queried often and we've been told it's all correct).

At least Richi sunak and his wife can put their 400 towards their swimming pool heating costs in Yorkshire
I'll sleep better tonight now.

I thought NI was going back down in July? Nice timing tories, a windfall tax you should have done when these rises first raised their heads yet saved for the day after sue grays report. It still won't be enough for most, I do feel for those just a tiny bit above the threshold for benefits though- there is a small area where you're worse off for being ever so slightly better off.

I believe this poster already gets PIP and ESA - she was just pointing out that neither are means tested so she won’t qualify for the extra payment. She’ll get the basic £400 as a key card energy customer and she’ll get the £150 if she gets PIP, so £550.

What’s the £400? Do we all get that?

how will the middle people get the £400? Will the energy companies just take it off your bill? In one go? when?

Yes

@Pennox · it comes of bills from October onwards in instalments over six months.

Apparently it's credited to your fuel account on a monthly basis for 6 months

Have you considered how you'll do this? Food banks, anything else? Genuine question in case others are like minded.

There are food banks that have the ability to put (free) credit on prepayment gas cards and electricity keys. Something like that might be particularly appropriate. Worth googling.

Otherwise a Carer’s support charity, Child poverty action group, Age concern or similar?

Once again people in the long term ESA support group who have previously worked and paid national insurance so recieve contribution based ESA get no help 😡

How do you apply?

Ah maybe. It was a bit hard to follow.

It seems there is also a working partner too, I gathered from later posts?

So who gets UC on 43k?!

And since when is that "low to middling" 43k is not a low income..

Does anyone know if the £400 can be declined?

I got very, very lucky and fixed our energy prices at pre-October 2021 levels until October 2023. I actually couldn’t believe the deal I’d found and snapped it up ASAP. E.On pulled it around an hour later.

If we can’t decline, I’ll donate it somewhere appropriate. Any suggestions for a charity that would use it wisely?

You don’t have to. They’ll automatically apply it to bills or disburse it to those on qualifying payments, as applicable.

The £650 is for those on UC or legacy benefits, includng tax credits.

Agree. And speaking as a someone with a substantial disability I have yet to meet anyone of this mindset who has the slightest idea of how disability benefits work and why they are paid - the fact that daily living with a disability incurs substantial extra costs conveniently escapes them. I’ve asked this question quite often on similar threads - if you are envious of the disability benefit, are you envious of the level of disability you have to endure to qualify for it ? It’s not all ‘free cars and nice pot of extra cash’ as someone once described DLA to me !!

I doubt you can say no to this grant
It'll stay on your energy provider account to use towards the bills.
That's how I have read it anyway and what is being said on here

No, it's automatic. I imagine the costs involved in opt in/out systems would be big and time consuming.

We X posted, so I’ll just C&P my suggestion from above. I’m sure other people will have suggestions too;

There are food banks that have the ability to put (free) credit on prepayment gas cards and electricity keys. Something like that might be particularly appropriate. Worth googling.

Otherwise a Carer’s support charity, Child poverty action group, Age concern or similar?

I think they get £150? For disability. But not the means tested £650 unless on other benefits. It is possible to claim cont based ESA and e.g. tax credits if on a low income..