Government Cost of Living Support
The Government cost of living support package is no longer available. However, there is still other support on offer to help families with rising energy costs and the increasing cost of living.
End to Cost of Living Payments
Cost of living payments have now ended. However, other support is still available and the Government advise that you make sure you get the all benefits that you are entitled.
Visit our Financial Benefits You May Be Entitled To article to check the benefit support available.
You may also want to read our Useful Sources of Information About Benefits article for a list of organisations who can provide information and advice about benefits.
Local Authority Household Support Fund
Your Local Council may be able to to help you with essential costs via a Household Support Fund. This could help if you’re struggling to afford things like:
- Energy and water bills
- Food
- Essential items
Funding is aimed at anyone who’s vulnerable or cannot pay for essentials. You do not have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council. But if you do get benefits, they will not be affected by a payment from a Household Support Fund scheme.
Household Support funding is distributed to local councils as a Discretionary Fund. Local councils then allocate and distribute the funding. Each council runs this scheme differently. Visit your council’s website to find out:
- how your Local Authority uses this funding
- eligibility criteria
- if/ how you need to apply
You can find your local council on the Government website.
Energy Bill Help
The Ofgem Price Cap (the maximum amount energy suppliers can charge you for each unit of energy if you’re on a standard variable tariff) is set at:
- £1,717 per year for a typical household between 1 October and 31 December 2024.
- £1,738 per year for a typical household between 1 January and 31 March 2025.
The Government Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) scheme ended April 2024, but our article on Help Paying Higher Energy Bills (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Help Paying Higher Energy Bills (Scotland) can link you to other types of support available for energy bill help.
Read our Energy Saving Tips & Support article for help understanding your energy bill and for tips, organisations and schemes that may help you reduce your bill.
Further Support
The WellChild Information Hub has a range of other articles on financial support that may be available to you:
The information in this article was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
If you have any comments, ideas, or suggestions about this article please contact us at [email protected]
Please don’t forget to leave feedback on this article!
Rachel Carluke, Family Information Officer
First published: October 2022
Last reviewed: December 2024
Next review due: May 2025
