THOUSANDS of Brits could miss out on the government's £650 cost of living payment if they don't claim pension credit in the coming days.
Payments, which started rolling out on Thursday 14 July, come in two segments.
This payment of £326 is the first of the £650 government payment to those claiming Universal Credit, and certain other benefits.
Over a million people claiming pension credit have started receiving a £326 cost of living payment but many could be missing out if they don't put in fresh claims for pension credit NOW.
But what is pension credit? Well, Pension credit is a benifit offered to pensioners, giving older Brits access to a number of money savinf solutions.
It is offered in two parts – guarantee credit and savings credit. You may be eligible to both.
It is not too late to claim, however, Pension credit claims can be backdated by up to three months.
To have qualified for the £650 cost of living payment you'll have needed to have been eligible during the qualifying period between April 26 and May 25.
Read our cost of living payments live blog below for the latest updates…
- henry moore
How to apply for pension credit
There are two options here:
- Claim online
- Call the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234
Before you make a claim it's important to have all your details to hand.
You'll need your National Insurance number, bank account details and information about your income, savings and investments.
Tesco told security guards to be lenient with shop lifters amid cost of living crisis
It has been reported that those who are caught stealing food will not be arrested by the police.
Those stealing food will be referred to local food banks instead, by Tesco security staff.
According to the Mirror, officers have been advised to use “discretion”.
Am I too late to apply for pension credit to get the £650?
In short, no, these payments can be backdated by up to three months.
But, if you wish to receive the payment, you will need to have been eligible for £650 cost of living payment during the qualifying period between April 26 and May 25.
It doesn't matter if you were only eligible for a day – as long as this day was within the qualifying period you'll get the cost of living payment.
- henry moore
Will I get a cost of living payment if I live in shared housing?
The payment operates in exactly the same way as benefits do – if you live in shared housing and you are eligible you can get the payment.
Somebody else who is completely unrelated to you, living in the same building/property can also get the payment.
If you are a couple, however, with an eligible benefit claim, then you can only get one.
- Lauren Lomas
UK’s average rent hits £1,163 per month
Tenants are expected to have forked out £63 billion in rent this year in total.
Lettings agent Hamptons has revealed to the Daily Mail that amount of rent paid as doubled since 2008.
The median wage for Brits is roughly £25,000, according to AV Trinity. This is around £1,700 after tax, meaning many only have less than £600 left to pay bills, buy food, pay for travel and go out.
- Lauren Lomas
How do I apply for pension credit?
To claim pension credit, you can either:
- Claim online
- Call the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234
Before you make a claim it’s important to have all your details to hand.
You’ll need your National Insurance number, bank account details and information about your income, savings and investments.
The BEST time to get the most money saving deals in the SALES
We reveal how you can bag the best deals in the summer sales – and all it takes is a little planning and keeping your eyes peeled.
The Sun spoke to retail expert Julian House, managing director at My Favourite Voucher Codes, on how you can make the most of the sales.
- Buying out of season in the sales is a tip that Julian swears buy.
- Julian warns shoppers not to be drawn into thinking that just because it’s in the sale, it must must be a great deal.
- Julian likes to Google the product he wants, adding a keyword like “discount” or “offer” to see what other deals are out there.
Click here to read more.
Free sweet hack goes viral for Tesco customers
A simple trick, allowing customers to cheat the system and get sweets for free, went viral on TikTok.
Called the Tesco Method, shoppers could find a special coupon, screenshot it and scan it at the self serving till knocking most of the cost of the sweets off the total bill.
However, some Tesco stores have wised up to the coupon, and have shut self serve checkouts.
Will I get a cost of living payment if I live in shared housing?
The payment operates in exactly the same way as benefits do – if you live in shared housing and you are eligible you can get the payment.
Somebody else who is completely unrelated to you, living in the same building/property can also get the payment.
If you are a couple, however, with an eligible benefit claim, then you can only get one.
- Lauren Lomas
The list of people who WON’T receive a payment
Check the following to make sure you are eligible to get the one-off payment.
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Child benefit
- Disability living allowance (DLA)
- Contributory, or “new style”, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Guardian’s allowance
- Contribution-based, or “new style”, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Maternity allowance
- Personal Independence payment
- State pension
- Statutory adoption, maternity, paternity and shared parental pay
- Statutory sick pay
Cost of living updates
Keep informed with The Sun on the cost of living payments.
Pick up some of the best money saving tips with The Sun.
Millions of workers face pay squeeze as wage lags
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal the growth in employees’ average total pay including bonuses was 6.2%.
Wages not including bonuses grew by 4.3% in the three months to May.
But in real terms, taking into account inflation, pay fell by 2.8% – a record drop.
Average total pay growth in the private sector was 7.2% in March to May 2022. For the public sector it was 1.5%.
It comes as inflation reached 9.1% earlier this year as fuel, food and other costs rise.
Click here to read more.
Martin Lewis’ advice led to customer claiming extra £1,500
The customer revealed that she had claimed the “life changing” sum of money.
In one of Martin Lewis’s most recent emails handed out to subscribers, a letter was included from one woman, who went by the name of Jackie.
She claims in the letter that she was awarded £1,500 in pension credits, which she didn’t even know she was entitled to.
Jackie now gets £185 per week also, which is a massive help to her.
In the letter, she said: “This has changed my life. No one tells you this is available and only thanks to your team am I now getting it.”
Fridge staple Brits CAN’T live without despite price surge
Shoppers refuse to switch this one item.
While butter is now 40 per cent more expensive according to reports, Brits will not give it up and swap for a cheaper alternative.
The Daily Mail reports Brits will not switch to margarine, calling it “disgusting”.
One wrote on Facebook, “I don’t usually brag about expensive things but I couldn’t do without my Lurpak.”
UK’s average rent hits £1,163 per month
Tenants are expected to have forked out £63 billion in rent this year in total.
Lettings agent Hamptons has revealed to the Daily Mail that amount of rent paid as doubled since 2008.
The median wage for Brits is roughly £25,000, according to AV Trinity. This is around £1,700 after tax, meaning many only have less than £600 left to pay bills, buy food, pay for travel and go out.
- Louis Allwood
Am I too late to apply for pension credit to get the £650?
No. Pension credit claims can be backdated by up to three months.
To have qualified for the £650 cost of living payment you’ll have needed to have been eligible during the qualifying period between April 26 and May 25.
It doesn’t matter if you were only eligible for a day – as long as this day was within the qualifying period you’ll get the cost of living payment.
- Louis Allwood
Marks and Spencer launches new family meals for under £2 per person
The retailer has teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge for a “Remarksable Value” budget meal planner.
Launching today, it includes recipes such as chipotle chicken thighs with herby rice and crispy bacon potato cake with perfect poached egg.
It come as a survey revealed the cost of living is top of M&S shoppers’ concerns, beating another wave of Covid.
Kerridge’s posh gastro pub, the Hand and Flowers, sells £85 fillet of beef.
But he grew up in a single parent household on a council estate, and says planning is key on a budget.
Click here to read more.
- Louis Allwood
How to find the cheapest petrol station?
The Sun spoke to Luke Bosdet, the AA’s fuel price spokesman, about how drivers can find the UK's cheapest petrol station.
Independent fuel stations have been slashing their prices as the cost of fuel plummets.
Luke says this allows them to undercut their local rivals, and it benefits drivers who can then fill their tank for less.
He added: "They are rare at the moment and the majority of drivers will miss them because, unless they drive past or hear about them, they won’t know they have slashed their prices."
It's difficult to say why independents are cheaper, but Luke said it could be because they have the flexibility to make pricing decision without having to go through big organisations.
Supermarkets and petrol stations at motorway service stations tend to be a bit more pricey.
But Luke believes it's always worth comparing prices from different retailers as this can vary across the country.
- Louis Allwood
Save up to 90% by buying second hand
Save money on clothing and toys by shopping second hand.
There are plenty of ways to shop second hand nowadays.
As well as popping to your local charity shops, there are a host of online marketplaces devoted to buying and selling pre-owned clothes.
You may even find stuff for free by using a recycling app where people give away items they no longer need.
We spoke to one mum who saved £3,000 on baby items by shopping second-hand.
- Louis Allwood
Save £100s by using vouchers and online discount codes
A lot of online retailers will offer discounts at the checkout or if you sign up for the firms newsletters.
This is particularly true if it’s your first-time shopping there.
Do a quick online search for a discount code, which can often give a small percentage off your shop.
Sometimes companies will give you a discount when you sign up for their newsletter.
And don't forget to check cashback sites in case you can get money back on your purchase too.
- Louis Allwood
Save £100s with holiday activities and food support
If your child is eligible for free school meals, you can also apply for the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.
This is a scheme provided by your local council.
Kids will be offered free activities and healthy meals during the holiday period – but the full offering varies by council.
Check with your local council to find out more.
- Louis Allwood
Save £1,000s on childcare costs
You can apply for help with childcare costs if your child is under 18.
Eaxactly what you can apply for varies depending on your situation and their age.
Visit the Government’s childcare calculator to find out what you might be eligible for.
You may be able to save money with free childcare hours, Universal Credit or tax-free childcare.
For example, tax-free childcare will let you claim up to £2,000 a year for kid's holiday clubs and childcare.
- Louis Allwood
Virgin Money to give £1,000 cost of living bonus to thousands of staff
Virgin Money has revealed it will give a £1,000 one-off bonus to thousands of staff in a bid to help with the cost of living.
The banking group said that workers who earn £50,000 a year or less – around 78% of its employees – will get the cash.
As the cost of living is expected to soar by £830 this October, many people are struggling to cope with bills and essentials.
But Virgin Money is the latest banking group to hand out a one-off bonus to staff in an effort to help, after Lloyds announced a staff pay boost last month.
The bank said around 6,000 employees will receive the bonus in their August wage packet.
Staff were told about the boost through an internal letter sent by the company.
- Louis Allwood
I don't live in council tax bands A-D, is there more help available?
If you don't live in a property in council tax bands A-D but are in need of extra support to help with the rising cost of living – discretionary funding is available.
A separate £144million fund has also been launched which local councils can dish out to vulnerable and low income households. You may get up to £300 to help with your bills.
Some councils may issue their discretionary funding in the form of a Post Office voucher and the guidance above stands for this too.
- Louis Allwood
My voucher's expired, will I miss out on the £150?
If your vouchers expired you won't miss out on the £150 council tax rebate.
Instead of being issued the £150 in cash form from the Post Office, you'll be credited the money to your council tax account.
This'll bring down your council tax bill by £150.
However, if the support is given to you in this way, you'll have missed out on the benefits of a cash payment – which you could decide to spend on specific bills.
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