Latest news with #EmploymentandSupportAllowance
Scottish Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
State pensioners warned to make urgent check to see if they can slash their broadband and mobile bills by £100s
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) STATE pensioners are being urged to check if they can slash their broadband and mobile bills by hundreds of pounds a year. Older households can save money on internet and phone deals by signing up for social tariffs. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Households can save money on their broadband and mobile phones with social tariffs Credit: Alamy Social tariffs are offered to those on government benefits like Universal Credit. And they can save you hundreds of pounds a year compared to standard deals. Not only that, but they often come with no exit fees, although you should always check the terms and conditions carefully. Virgin Media O2 is urging older households to sign up to its broadband and mobile phone social tariffs to save money. It comes after a survey by the telecoms firm found almost half were unaware of the cheaper tariffs. Households on Pension Credit, a benefit paid to state pensioners on low incomes, are eligible to apply for the provider's social tariffs. Customers can sign up for its Essential broadband package which costs £12.50 a month and comes with 15Mbits speed. There is also an Essential broadband package which costs £20 and comes with 54Mbits speed. O2 customers can also sign up for an Essential Plan mobile phone tariff with 10GB of data, unlimited texts and minutes for £10. All three of the tariffs come on 30-day rolling contracts meaning you can cancel at the end of each month. CHECK YOUR SPEED: Broadband How to get the best deal Of course, as is the case with any major buy like this, it pays to shop around to make sure you're getting the best package and price. The regulator Ofcom has a list on its website of all the firms offering social broadband and mobile phone tariffs. The list can be found here - It's worth scanning the list to find the package that best suits your needs. It's also worth comparing deals via comparison sites like Uswitch. For example, Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50 offers a 50Mbits speed social broadband tariff for £15 a month, which is £2.50 more expensive than Virgin Media O2's Essential broadband deal but offers a quicker internet speed. Meanwhile, 4th Utility's social broadband tariff costs £13.99 a month and comes with 30Mbit speed. When applying for a social tariff, you will most likely qualify if you're on Universal Credit. Some other benefits qualify you too, but not always, including Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker's Allowance. Check out each provider's website where eligibility criteria will be listed. How to save on broadband and TV bills HERE'S how to save money on your broadband and TV bills: Audit your subscriptions If you've got multiple subscriptions to various on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Sky consider whether you need them all. Could you even just get by with Freeview, which couldn't cost you anything extra each month for TV. Also make sure you're not paying for Netflix twice via Sky and directly. Haggle for a discount If you want to stay with your provider, check prices elsewhere to set a benchmark and then call its customer services and threaten to leave unless it price matches or lowers your bill. Switch and save If you don't want to stay with your current provider check if you can cancel your contract penalty free and switch to a cheaper provider. A comparison site, such as BroadbandChoices or Uswitch, will help you find the best deal for free. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Daily Record
11-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Lanarkshire parents reminded they could be eligible for extra payments over school holidays
National advice agency Advice Direct Scotland is urging households to check if they qualify for support before schools break up for the summer later this month. Lanarkshire parents are being reminded that they could be eligible for extra payments over the school holidays to cover the cost of meals for their children. National advice agency Advice Direct Scotland is urging households to check if they qualify for support before schools break up for the summer later this month. Households normally eligible for free school meals during term time should automatically start receiving payments of £2.50 or £4.80 per day, per child, during the holidays, depending on the child's age and where they live. While exact holiday dates vary by council, a household with two children could be entitled to between £150 and £288 over the course of the six-week summer break. Those who have not yet applied for free school meals, or who might start claiming benefits over the holidays due to a change in circumstances, are being urged to take action. All children in P1 to P5 at schools run by local councils currently receive free school lunches during term time, regardless of their family circumstances. Children in P6 and above continue to qualify only if they come from low-income households. Over the summer and other holidays, support is available to those who normally receive free school meals. Payments are set at £2.50 per day, per child, for each weekday during the holidays, excluding weekends. This means summer payments will be around £75, £126, or £144 per child, depending on the rate and school stage. To qualify, people must be in receipt of one of the following benefits: Universal Credit (where monthly earned income is not more than £850) Income Support Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance Income-based Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Rebecca Fagan, benefit and welfare information officer at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'With the summer holidays approaching fast, it's crucial that families know about the support available to help provide healthy meals for their children. 'Many Scots are facing financial difficulties due to the cost-of-living and energy crises and will be worried about holiday-related expenses on top of rising bills. 'For families with children eligible for free school meals, payments are available throughout the summer, so we encourage anyone who might benefit to apply now. 'Remember, once your application is approved, payments will start promptly and will also be available during other school holidays. 'If you're unsure about your eligibility or need help applying, our team at offers free, confidential support to everyone, regardless of personal circumstances.' provides free, practical advice and information on any topic, including access to benefits and whether households are claiming all the support they are entitled to. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
North Wales Live
06-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
The State pensioners who will get an immediate Winter Fuel Payment boost
Many State pensioners were controversially stripped of their £300 Winter Fuel Payment over the winter. It came after the Government declared the benefit would be means tested but the issue has been highly contentious. It means the vast majority of State pensioners will no longer receive a £300 payment unless they claim a qualifying benefit. Since then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a partial reversal on the benefit, pledging to reassess the eligibility threshold to reinstate the payment to more pensioners. How this will be implemented or what the criteria might be have not yet been disclosed. This week, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced that more pensioners will receive the winter fuel allowance this year, although it still won't be universal, reports the Express. Officials haven't yet said how many more pensioners will be eligible. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "We have listened to the concerns that people had about the level of the means test and so we will be making changes to that. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now "They will be in place so that pensioners are paid this coming winter. People should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get winter fuel payment this winter." 'Exact amount will vary depending on your birth year' However, many aren't aware that if you do qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this year, the exact amount you receive will vary depending on your birth year and possibly other circumstances as well. The Government previously paid the Winter Fuel Payment automatically to all state pensioners, but until any changes are announced, the current rule is that you must be claiming a qualifying benefit such as Pension Credit. Those who are of state pension age but under 80, meaning they were born on or before September 22, 1958, and who qualify will receive a £200 payment. But those aged over 80 - born on September 23, 1944, or earlier - will receive £300. The amount you receive is determined by your age and circumstances during the "qualifying week" of September 16 to 22, 2024. If you missed this period, you can backdate Pension Credit claims until December, so it's still accessible now. So if you're over 80 and eligible, your Winter Fuel Payment will rise from £200 to £300. Most qualifying individuals will receive a letter detailing the amount they'll receive and the bank account in which it will be paid to, this is typically the same as the one used for your Pension Credit or other benefits. An Age UK spokesman said: "If you or your partner claims Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the payment should go to the main claimant of the benefit automatically. "You should receive your payment between mid-November and Christmas. Call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160 if you have any enquiries or you don't receive your payment."
Wales Online
06-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Everything we know about winter fuel payment U-turn
Everything we know about winter fuel payment U-turn Although the news is welcomed by many, there is still some confusion over what the announcement could mean Charities and MPs were among those who hit out at the move last year (Image: Getty Images/Image Source ) Huge changes have been announced to Labour's highly controversial policy, which limited how many pensioners could receive the Winter Fuel Payment. Rachel Reeves said more people would qualify for the allowance "this winter", and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to widen the threshold for winter fuel in a U-turn on one of his government's first major policies. However details of the changes and who will be eligible remain unclear, with Sir Starmer failing to confirm how many people will now get it during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. The payment - which is worth up to £300 to help with energy bills during the coldest months - was paid only to those on pension credit last year, but the policy was widely blamed for Labour's poor local election results. It saw 10 million fewer pensioners receive the money in 2024. Charities and MPs were among those who hit out at the move, showing concern for those whose income was slightly too high to qualify but then had expensive energy costs to pay. However, the restriction came in a bid to same save around £1.3 billion. Although the news is welcomed by many, there is still some confusion over what the announcement could mean. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here Here is everything we know about it so far. Article continues below Winter Fuel Payment means tested Last year, the Labour government introduced means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment, meaning only certain pensioners over 66 would receive the money, rather than all pensioners. This resulted in over nine million UK pensioners losing the additional cash last winter. The move sparked significant backlash against Labour, which has persisted. Legal challenges have been launched against the government's decision, with charities warning it could push more elderly Brits into poverty. Research by Unite Union revealed that over two-thirds of its retired members had to reduce their heating last winter, a third took fewer baths or showers, and 16% had to cut back on hot meals due to the increased costs of trying to stay warm. The removal of the benefit was also linked to the rise in Reform Councillors in recent elections. Under the rules, you are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment if you are over the state pension age of 66 and claiming one of the following benefits during the qualifying week: Income Support Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Pension Credit Universal Credit What was announced this week? Although there have been no official announcements or changes today, one thing has been verified: Starmer's intention to increase the eligibility of pensioners for this winter's support payment. According to Jon Greer, Quilter's head of retirement policy, the Prime Minister's suggestion signifies a "notable shift in tone". Who will benefit from the U-turn? During Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir did not clarify who would benefit from the updated policy, despite acknowledging in a recent BBC interview that there was a pressing need for clarity. "We will look, again, as I said two weeks ago, at the eligibility for winter fuel, and of course, we'll set out how we pay for it," he responded when Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch queried about the number of pensioners, out of 10 million, who would have the allowance reinstated. The queries arose following Reeves' earlier statement that people "should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get winter fuel payment this winter". When will details be announced? Should the UK government wait until the Budget to announce the changes, it would be just prior to when payments are typically made. Eligible pensioners receive payments automatically in November or December. Under the current, short-lived system, individuals are required to claim pension credit - a top-up to the state pension for those on low incomes. Pressure from Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan, who had previously urged the government to rethink the cuts to millions of retirees, welcomed the PM's surprise reversal on Wednesday. She says that Keir Starmer should now provide winter fuel payments to the "majority" of pensioners. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Morgan said millionaires shouldn't be getting the payment. She said: "I'm not sure if millionaires should be getting a winter fuel allowance. So let's just make sure that they don't get it." But Ms Morgan added: "People below that, that's where the conversation got to be. I do want the majority of pensioners - I think they made a massive contribution to the country." Martin Lewis comments The Money Saving Expert founder said he was "delighted" about the news, in a social media post.. He said it was worth "explaining" the two issues he had always had with the way that the Winter Fuel Payment means-test had been put in place. He said: "The first one is the level. Currently, for a single pensioner, only those earning under £11,800 a year get the £200 or £300 winter fuel help. Now with energy bills still high and other energy bill help being taken away, that really was a big hit to the pensioners who were just above that limit. "I'm hoping to see this limit increase from the current £11,800 up to £20,000 or more. Perhaps they might only do it and link it to higher-rate taxpayers." He added: "The means test that they linked Winter Fuel payment to was Pension Credit. Now, Pension Credit has long been a flawed benefit which has been critically underclaimed, and even now, after all the communication over Winter Fuel, there are still 700,000 eligible pensioners who should get Pension Credit and thus winter fuel payments who don't because they don't claim. "Often, it will be vulnerable people with onset dementia or people who just can't go through the complicated process, especially on forms, or the message hasn't been passed on to them as it's quite difficult to explain the level of income that you need to get it. "So let's just put that into perspective, 700,000 people who have a total income of under £11,800 a year are missing out on the Winter Fuel Payment, even though that's the level the government says they should get it. Article continues below "So my big message to the Chancellor is, don't just increase the threshold. You have to look at the means test mechanism to make sure that the most vulnerable pensioners in this country, if they have income below your threshold, actually get the Winter Fuel Payment. And my fingers are crossed they'll be listening."
Wales Online
05-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
State pensioners born in certain years given immediate Winter Fuel Payment increase
State pensioners born in certain years given immediate Winter Fuel Payment increase The payment is worth £100 more depending on when you were born Not everyone is aware of the price differences (Image: Getty ) Millions of state pensioners were controversially stripped of their £300 Winter Fuel Payment over the winter, since the government declared the benefit would be means tested the issue has been highly contentious. It means the vast majority of state pensioners will no longer receive a £300 payment unless they claim a qualifying benefit. Subsequently, Sir Keir Starmer announced a partial reversal on the benefit, pledging to reassess the eligibility threshold to reinstate the payment to more pensioners. The specifics of how this will be implemented or what the criteria might be have not yet been disclosed. This week, Rachel Reeves announced that more pensioners will receive the winter fuel allowance this year, although it still won't be universal. Officials haven't yet said how many more pensioners will be eligible. Rachel Reeves said: "We have listened to the concerns that people had about the level of the means test and so we will be making changes to that. They will be in place so that pensioners are paid this coming winter. "People should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get winter fuel payment this winter." However, many aren't aware that if you do qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment this year, the exact amount you receive will vary depending on your birth year and possibly other circumstances as well. Article continues below The Winter Fuel Payment was previously automatically given to all state pensioners, but until any changes are announced, the current rule is that you must be claiming a qualifying benefit such as Pension Credit. Those who are of state pension age but under 80, meaning they were born on or before September 22, 1958, and who qualify will receive a £200 payment. However, those aged over 80 - born on September 23, 1944, or earlier - will receive £300, reports the Express. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here . The amount you receive is determined by your age and circumstances during the 'qualifying week' of September 16 to 22, 2024. If you missed this period, you can backdate Pension Credit claims until December, so it's still accessible now. Therefore, if you're over 80 and eligible, your Winter Fuel Payment will rise from £200 to £300. Most qualifying individuals will receive a letter detailing the amount they'll receive and the bank account in which it will be paid to, this is typically the same as the one used for your Pension Credit or other benefits. Article continues below Age UK said: "If you or your partner claims Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the payment should go to the main claimant of the benefit automatically. "You should receive your payment between mid-November and Christmas. Call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160 if you have any enquiries or you don't receive your payment."
