There have been many headlines recently on the increasing cost of living. From National Insurance contributions increasing, to energy bills and food princes going up and the ongoing economic impacts of Covid, many people are in difficulty.
If you are struggling with a squeezed budget, remember you are not alone. Research from the Citizens Advice Bureau suggested that, in November 2021, 37% of people were worried about paying their upcoming bills.
It can feel overwhelming knowing where to start. But taking action and speaking to someone about your difficulties is the best first step, and you will feel better because of it.
Here are 5 tips for getting help if you are struggling with your bills and the cost of living.
Check you are claiming all the benefits and grants you are entitled to
Making sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to is important to help you take control of your finances. It can be difficult to know what to claim, but trying this benefit calculator can be a great start. You can also visit the Benefits page on Barking and Dagenham Money to find out more.
You may also be eligible for charitable grants. Turn2Us is a national charity, helping people access benefits and grants. Visit their Grants Search page for more information and to start searching – Search for charitable and educational grants – Turn2us
Contact your energy supplier
If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, check out this helpful information from Ofgem – Getting help if you can’t afford your energy bills | Ofgem.
Contact your supplier as soon as you can if you are worried. Under Ofgem rules, suppliers must work with you to agree on a payment plan you can afford. This includes reviewing a plan you have agreed before.
You can ask for:
- a review of your payments and debt repayments
- payment breaks or reductions
- more time to pay
- access to hardship funds
- Priority Service registration – a free support service if you are in a vulnerable situation.
Check if you are eligible for schemes to help with the cost of bills
Some energy suppliers offer grants to help with the costs of bills. You could get £140 off your electricity bill for winter 2021 to 2022 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. The scheme opened on 18 October 2021. The money is not paid directly to you, it’s a one-off discount on your electricity bill, between October and March every year.
If you are eligible, you should have got a letter in the post. More information can be found on the government website, here.
The WaterSure scheme also helps people with their water bills. To apply for the scheme, you must:
- Be claiming benefits
- Need to use a lot of water either for medical reasons or because your household has a certain number of school-age children
- Have a water meter or be waiting to have one installed
To qualify, you will need to be on certain benefits, but the specifics depend on each supplier. Suppliers should be contacted to check which benefits they cover.
For more information, go to – WaterSure scheme – help with paying water bills – Citizens Advice
Get free, expert debt advice and speak to someone
Visit our Dealing with debt page to find organisations that can offer you professional debt advice, freee of charge.
If you have multiple debts, prioritising them makes a huge difference and will make it seem easier to tackle. Priority debts are ones that can cause you particularly serious problems if you leave them.
Visit the Citizens Advice website to work out which debts to deal with first. Have a look here – Work out which debts to deal with first – Citizens Advice – to make sure you tackle priority debts first.
Shop around and switch your energy supplier (plus other utilities!) if there are better deals
Everyone likes loyalty, but if your current provider can’t give you a better deal, then swap! Your energy and utility providers, mobile phone contract, internet provider and insurance cover are a great place to start looking for better deals.
Visit price comparison sites, like Compare the Market or Money Supermarket to start comparing today!
Paying by direct debit is usually cheaper than other methods of payment, so double check your payment method if you aren’t sure.