Cost of Living payment latest: Martin Lewis warning as benefit payouts DELAYED ahead of Christmas | The Sun
MARTIN Lewis has issued a fresh warning to Brits claiming crucial benefits that their cash could be delayed ahead of Christmas.
Martin Lewis took to Twitter to ask his 2million followers if they had received their Personal Independence Payments, and a staggering 40% said they are yet to get the cash.
The MoneySavingExpert contacted the Department for Work and Pensions about the delay, which said it was "urgently investigating" the issue and most payments should be made by the end of today.
This delay could mark a major blow for Brits ahead of Christmas, as the cost of living continues to soar across the country.
The benefit, which was set to hit bank accounts this week, can be worth up to £156.90 a week and can be claimed if you have a health condition or disability where you either have had difficulties with daily living or getting around.
Read our cost of living live blog below for the latest updates….
- Henry Moore
Cheap Christmas stocking gifts for under £5
Here are some great, and affordable, Christmas stocking gifts for the kids this December.
- Kids walking backpack – £4.99 (Decathlon)
- Kids mini foam basketball – £4.99 (Decathalon)
- Keycraft rear view spy glasses – £5 (johnlewis.com)
- Kids Santa slipper socks – £2.50 (Matalan.co.uk)
- Wilko reindeer hair clips two pack – £2 (Wilko)
These are just a few great ideas, check out the full article to see 20 more affordable Christmas gifts.
How to keep your house warm WITHOUT turning on the heating
As the colder months arrive, many are doing all they can to keep warm without turning the heating in, in a bid to save some cash.
Here’s how you can keep your home warm without the cost of turning on the heat.
- Block draughts – doors, windows, letterbox and keyholes.
- Upgrade your windows.
- Use rugs to keep floors warm.
- Turn radiators off in unused rooms and keep the doors shut.
- Wear warmer clothes.
How much do electric blankets cost to use?
These gadgets use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed before switching to a sleep setting or being turned off, according to research from Uswitch.
It costs 24p to run an electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.
If you used it for one hour a day for a year, you’d be spending £12.48 on your electricity.
But using an electric blanket instead of turning the heating up could still save you cash off your bill.
Find out more here.
- Henry Moore
Sell old furniture to make cash this Christmas
If you are looking to earn some cash before the Christmas pinch begins, selling your old furniture is a surefire way to make money.
According to Brad West, owner of West Antiques, these five items could earn you up to £1,000.
- Mid-century sideboards – up to £1,000
- Desks – up to £650
- Lamps – up to £100
- Chairs – up to £400
- Coffee tables – from £250
How much do Christmas lights cost to run?
In 2020, the average family had their Christmas lights up from November 26 to January 6, according to Uswitch.
That’s a very Christmasy 43 days to add to your energy bills this winter.
However, because Christmas lights are often LEDs, they shouldn’t be too expensive to keep running.
Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch, said: “A household with a string of 200 LED fairy lights would expect to increase their bills by just 27p if used for six hours a day for 22 days over the whole festive period – that’s just 0.2p per hour.”
How much does your washing machine cost to run per year?
Brits are looking for ways to cut back on energy bills this winter, as the country faces periodic blackouts.
But how much does a washing machine take to run per year?
A household of two adults and two children does an average 468 loads of washing a year – equivalent to 1.3 loads a day.
For these households, the cost of running a washing machine costs an annual price of £159.12.
What age does child benefit stop?
Child benefit payments stop on August 31, on or after your child’s 16th birthday, if they leave education or training.
If this is the case, your teen will get their own registered National Insurance Number.
You will still be eligible to claim cash for your child, however, as long as they choose to stay in “approved education or training.”
Find out more details here.
How much does your hairdryer cost to run?
Drying your hair on the highest power setting will take eight minutes and use up 1.8 kilowatts (kW) of power.
This will cost you nearly 8p to run.
If you use your hair dryer at full power it’ll cost you £16.97 a year.
But if you were to use it on eco mode without the heating element, it would cost £0.99 a year to run.
Check if you can get an energy grant
There are plenty of energy grants and schemes open to help you out during difficult financial times.
British Gas has opened applications for struggling households to claim up to £1,500 – but you need to be a British Gas customer to apply for this help.
You can also ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply, or check here:
- Bulb energy fund
- EDF’s energy customer support fund
- E.on’s energy fund
- Npower’s energy fund
- Octopus Energy Octo Assist fund
- Ovo’s debt and energy assistance
- Scottish Power’s hardship fund
- Henry Moore
Free debt advice
If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free advice on how to manage debt.
Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
- Money Helper – 0800 138 7777
- Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
- StepChange – 0800 138 1111
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
Heat the room you’re in to save on bills
PRIORITISE heating the room you’re going to spend the most time in.
The smaller it is, the cheaper it will be to keep warm.
Move the furniture away from the external walls where it will be colder.
Close the doors to stop the heat from escaping.
Do not switch off your boiler at night to save on bills
Switching off your appliances when they are not in use can be a good way to save on bills.
But experts have warned that turning off your boiler while you sleep could end up increasing your outgoings or even break the machine.
A spokesperson from BoilerCentral told us why you shouldn’t switch your boiler off at night: “If the boiler is turned off and you have forgotten to turn it back on, some can be temperamental and then require a call out.
“It is advised to first look at adjusting your thermostat settings instead of turning your boiler off.
“If someone is looking to regularly turn off their boiler then to ensure it can be done without causing problems it’s advised to get it serviced annually.”
Cheapest FRESH turkeys available in supermarkets this Christmas
As we approach Christmas, many families will already be thinking about getting their hands on a turkey.
But where can you find the cheapest bird this holiday season?
Well here are the five cheapest FRESH birds currently available in UK supermarkets.
- Aldi, Ashfields British medium fresh turkey (order Nov 18), £4.95/kg, 5kg bird = £24.75
- Morrisons, British medium whole turkey (available Dec 19), £4.99/kg, 5kg bird = £24.95
- Tesco, medium whole turkey (available Dec 20), £5/kg, 5kg bird = £25
- Asda, medium British turkey (available Dec 19), 5/kg, 5kg bird = £25
- Waitrose, Essential medium whole turkey with giblets (order now, available Dec 20), £6.50/kg, 5kg bird = £32.50
For more information, check out our full story.
How to get £200 by switching bank accounts
You can get a free £200 by switching to HSBC‘s Advance Account.
MoneySavingExpert revealed in its that HSBC is offering a £200 switching deal – but there’s a catch.
To be eligible for the £200 bonus, you’ll need to pay at least £1,500 into your account within 60 days.
Find out more here
How do you apply for Child Benefit?
From the moment your first child is born you can apply for Child Benefit.
It may take around four months for your claim to be approved, but you can backdate that three months.
To apply, you'll need to fill in a Child Benefit claim form CH2 and send it to the Child Benefit Office.
The address to send it to is as follows:
Child Benefit Office (GB)
Washington
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE88 1ZDFind out more here.
- Henry Moore
Cheap Christmas stocking gifts for under £5
Here are some great, and affordable, Christmas stocking gifts for the kids this December.
- Kids walking backpack – £4.99 (Decathlon)
- Kids mini foam basketball – £4.99 (Decathalon)
- Keycraft rear view spy glasses – £5 (johnlewis.com)
- Kids Santa slipper socks – £2.50 (Matalan.co.uk)
- Wilko reindeer hair clips two pack – £2 (Wilko)
These are just a few great ideas, check out the full article to see 20 more affordable Christmas gifts.
Free debt advice
If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free advice on how to manage debt.
Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
- Money Helper – 0800 138 7777
- Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
- StepChange – 0800 138 1111
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
How to keep your house warm WITHOUT turning on the heating
As the colder months arrive, many are doing all they can to keep warm without turning the heating in, in a bid to save some cash.
Here’s how you can keep your home warm without the cost of turning on the heat.
- Block draughts – doors, windows, letterbox and keyholes.
- Upgrade your windows.
- Use rugs to keep floors warm.
- Turn radiators off in unused rooms and keep the doors shut.
- Wear warmer clothes.
How much do electric blankets cost to use?
These gadgets use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed before switching to a sleep setting or being turned off, according to research from Uswitch.
It costs 24p to run an electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.
If you used it for one hour a day for a year, you’d be spending £12.48 on your electricity.
But using an electric blanket instead of turning the heating up could still save you cash off your bill.
Find out more here.
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