DWP benefits and pensions: April 2024 dates for benefits, Universal Credit and pensions

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As the price of residing disaster persists, tens of millions proceed to battle to pay their payments, afford the necessities and even hold a roof over their heads.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s spring Budget introduced some adjustments aimed to extend family incomes, together with a 2p National Insurance tax reduce, adjustments to the Child Benefit, and an extension to the Household Support Fund.

However, some consultants have expressed issues that the chancellor’s new measures unfairly profit greater earners. The NI reduce will profit these incomes £50,000 or extra probably the most, in line with the Resolution Foundation suppose tank.

The authorities’s newest annual figures on low-income households additionally paint a bleak image of the UK’s financial state of affairs. They present absolute poverty has elevated for two years in a row, with practically 1,000,000 extra folks poverty in 2022/23 than in 21/22.

The economic system took a constructive flip when inflation dropped to three.4 per cent in March – the bottom degree for the reason that finish of 2021. However, this doesn’t imply costs are going again to what they have been two and a half years in the past, simply that they’re rising much less quick.

Against these troublesome financial circumstances, right here is an summary of the monetary help obtainable to low-income households this April and key dates for benefits recipients to look out for:

Benefits going out as regular

The regular benefits and pensions funds shall be going out largely as regular in March. These are:

However, in case your fee date falls on Good Friday (29 March) or Easter Monday (1 April) it is best to obtain your anticipated fee the on the final Thursday of March (28 March).

For extra info on how and when state benefits are paid, please go to the federal government’s web site.

A report from Policy in Practice final yr exhibits that just about £19bn in benefits goes unclaimed a yr – they provide a useful calculator to work out what you may be entitled to.

Have you been affected by the problems on this story? Get in contact by way of e-mail: albert.toth@unbiased.co.uk

Household help fund

In the spring Budget, Jeremy Hunt confirmed the Household Support Fund (HSF) could be prolonged for 6 months past the unique 31 March deadline.

The HSF is funding given to all native councils to help susceptible households of their space. Councils are free to allocate the funds nonetheless they really feel is greatest.

For occasion, some have offered money grants, grocery store vouchers, or vitality invoice help. You might want to go to your native council’s web site to search out out what assist should be obtainable.

To discover out what help is out there to you, the End Furniture Poverty charity provide a useful help finder device.

Other assist obtainable

Budgeting advance loans

The authorities affords a ‘budgeting advance loan’ for folks on Universal Credit who face an emergency lack of cash. Prior to the finances, the reimbursement interval for these loans was 12 months. It has now been doubled to 2 years.

These loans are interest-free, and routinely deducted from Universal Credit funds. You can borrow an ‘advance’ of as much as:

Charitable grants

If you might be struggling financially, chances are you’ll be eligible for sure charitable grants. There are a variety of grants obtainable relying in your circumstances.

However, these grants will usually require you to satisfy particular standards and solely be capable to provide restricted funds.

Charitable grants can be found for people who find themselves disabled or unwell, carers, bereaved, unemployed, college students – and many extra. The charity Turn2us has a web-based device to look for grants which can be obtainable to you.

Energy supplier assist

Plenty of vitality suppliers provide assist for these scuffling with their vitality payments. These embody Scottish Power, EDF, E.ON and Octopus. It is value contacting your vitality supplier to search out out in case you are eligible.

British Gas additionally provide a grant of as much as £2,000 to prospects of any vitality supplier. You might want to meet particular standards to be eligible, and can apply on the British Gas Energy Trust web site.

Council tax discount

If you meet sure standards or are on sure benefits, you could possibly apply for a reduction in your council tax low cost of as much as 100 per cent.

Your native council should be capable to give you a discretionary discount if you’ll be able to reveal you might be dealing with extreme hardship and can’t afford to pay your council tax.

To apply for a council tax discount, you possibly can contact your native council by way of the federal government’s web site.

Up to 30 hours free childcare

All working mother and father within the UK are presently entitled to 30 hours of free childcare for youngsters aged 3 to 4. From April 1, this entitlement will increase to incorporate 15 hours of free childcare for 2-year-olds.

You should apply on-line and reconfirm your eligibility each three months, in time for every college time period. Working mother and father can even apply for tax-free childcare, giving again 20p for each 80p you set in the direction of childcare, as much as a most of £500 a yr.

There are two extra expansions to free childcare deliberate within the coming years:

Energy Price Cap: Will it go up or down in 2024?

The vitality value cap is ready to drop to £1,690 from 1 April, down £238 from the January cap of £1,928.

Analysts on the trusted Cornwall Insight predict this determine will fall in July to £1,462.86, however rise once more barely in October to £1,590.

The vitality value cap is the utmost quantity vitality suppliers can cost you for every unit of vitality when you’re on a typical variable tariff. That consists of most households. It is expressed as an annual invoice for a mean dwelling.

The current decline in costs is reflective of current drops in wholesale vitality prices – the quantity vitality corporations pay for their electrical energy and fuel earlier than supplying it to households.

Although it’s a vital slide from the record-high charges of the final two years, the determine stays virtually £1,000 a yr above pre-pandemic ranges.

Are benefits and pensions going up in 2024?

Benefits and state pension are set to extend in April 2024.

In his autumn assertion, Jeremy Hunt that benefits are going to be elevated by the September charge of inflation of 6.7 per cent. He additionally introduced that state pensions shall be elevated by 8.5 per cent across the identical time.

However, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has warned that failure to lift the benefits cap will push extra folks past its threshold, which means a real-terms reduce for many.