PEOPLE can get guidance on how to get financial support to help with rising costs from the DWP.

In April, the National Living Wage is set to be raised to £10.42 an hour and benefits, including working age benefits and the State Pension, will also rise in line with inflation, ensuring they increase by over 10 per cent.

Despite this, many Worcestershire households are struggling with rising bills, and will need support from the government's Cost-of-Living payments.

The Department for Work and Pensions said further Cost-of-Living payments are to be made between spring 2023 and spring 2024.

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These payments are £301 for people on an eligible low-income benefit, to be paid during spring 2023.

For people on an eligible disability benefit, there will be £150 for people to be paid during summer 2023.

There is also £300 for people on an eligible low-income benefit, to be paid during autumn 2023, £300 for pensioner households, to be paid during winter 2023 to 2024, and £299 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid in spring 2024.

The new £900 cash boost will be available for over eight million eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including those on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and tax credits.

The payment will go directly into bank accounts in three separate instalments over the course of the financial year.

There will also be a separate £150 for over six million disabled people and £300 for over eight million pensioners on top of Winter Fuel Payments.

Exact payment windows are set to be announced closer to the time and eligible people will be paid automatically, with no need to formally apply. 

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The payments are tax-free and do not count towards the benefit cap and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.

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The Government has said that its Energy Price Guarantee will be saving the average household around £900 this winter and a further £500 in 2023/24.

The government is also providing energy saving tips through the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bill Support Scheme.

This information is available by visiting the website at https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/energy-saving-advice/.