BRITS could be given more money for using appliances outside of peak hours after the National Grid raised the discount it will offer.
The discount for avoiding using energy during off-peak hours has been increased from 52p per kilowatt hour to £3 - meaning households that use their washing machine at night could make typical savings of £100 this winter during the Cost of Living crisis.
The news comes as the electricity system operator warned Brits could face three-hour blackouts during the coldest days of the year.
In a column for the Guardian, Fintan Slye - the director of National Grid ESO - said businesses and homes "can become virtual power plants and, crucially, get paid like one too".
He added: “For a consumer that could mean a typical household could save approximately £100."
Read our cost of living live blog below for the latest updates...
Stop using card to save more money
Euphemia Moore has been giving tips on Tiktok to help people turn their finances around.
She suggest that using cash to pay for groceries and petrol helped her save money.
She suggested that it is better to pay with cash rather than card because “it’s harder to give away £120 in cash rather than tapping it on your card.”
Euphemia also said that it is best to create a meal plan for the week and list down the ingredients that you will need to buy.
She also said that having vegetarian dinners can also be cheaper, so if you have been thinking about making a change, maybe the time is now.
The mum-of-three suggested the same for petrol.
Euphemia suggested using cash and setting yourself a budget for how much petrol you use each week.
She said: “Using cash stops you from doing unnecessary journeys, so if you can only put so much on petrol it makes you question if you really need to go to B&M again this week.”
Tesco announces £1million support package amid cost of living crisis
Tesco have announced a new £1million support package to help food banks and food charities.
The announcement came after the Trussel Trust launched an emergency appeal earlier today as the food bank prepare for their hardest winter yet, due to cost of living crisis.
Tesco will be splitting the £1m donation between the Trussell Trust and FareShare to help them meet the exceptional challenges they are currently facing.
You could save money depending on what time you wash your hair
According to an expert, the time of the day you wash your hair can also help with the rising energy bills.
Although the hairdryer, The Express reported, is not the appliance which consumes the most energy, people use it on a daily basis - and it's not a cheap habit.
According to USwitch, using a hairdryer for just eight minutes uses up to 1.8 kilowatts and the cost of electricity currently stands at 34p per kWh, according to the energy regulator Ofgem.
This means that for the UK households, the average cost of using a hairdryer for eight minutes costs 6p every day - but the number can easily add up if the appliance is used by more than just one person.
Experts at Homebuilding revealed that knowing peak and off-peak timings is essential to save money this winter.
To cut the costs, you first need to check the tariff your house is attached to, such as the Economy 7, SSE's Off-peak E and Green Energy UK's Tide Tariff.
If you are on one of these or a similar tariff, "households should be able to save money" by using the hairdryer "at night as power is less in demand''.
Be savvy with your food shop
With the soaring prices of food, many households will be anxious about this year’s supermarket shopping for Christmas.
One of the most effective ways to reduce the cost of your food shop is to prepare the meals based on how many guests you are feeding — and only buy what you need, instead of adding more and more extravagant food items onto the list simply because it’s “Christmas”.
Once you know how many people you are hosting, figure out exactly what you’ll be making and how much of it to buy for the number of guests. This way, you'll cut down on both costs and food waste.
There is no reason why you need to buy premium food and drink options, instead of the more affordable-branded goods. Most of the time, you’re simply judging the packaging rather than the taste of the food. Instead, you’re much better off buying what's right for you and your household, not the shop.
Northwest council calls for free school meals to be given to every child
Rochdale council has called for free school meals to be given to every child as the cost-of-living crisis continues.
Rochdale Online reports that yesterday, a motion urging the government to ‘ensure universal provision for all school age groups’ was unanimously backed.
Data shows that one in three school-age children living in poverty were already missing out on free school meals as a result of the ‘restrictive eligibility criteria’ – with many more now struggling.
Speaking at the meeting, Labour Councillor Rachel Massey said: “No child should go hungry while in school, we know that there are increasing numbers of struggling families that don’t qualify for free school meals.
“School meals are not an optional extra, they are absolutely essential to ensure that our most vulnerable are fed, healthy, cared for and thriving.”
Cold weather payment – what do I need to know?
The Department of Work and Pensions is running a scheme from November 1 to March 31 each year that will see households rewarded with a cold weather payment.
Eligible people will receive a payment of £25 for every seven-day period in which the temperature goes below zero, which is intended for heating bills.
Tips on warming up the home
The first tip is to invest in thermal or blackout curtains as these will help you keep the heat locked in during the winter months.
Senior product manager at Hillarys, Yvonne Keal said: “A thermal lining on curtains creates a cosy insulating layer that can help towards reducing heat loss when your curtains are closed.
"Pair thermal or blackout linings with naturally thicker curtain fabrics such as velvet to improve the thermal qualities of your curtains even further.”
These blinds will set you back around £30 - size dependant.
How to save for Christmas
Jonathan Merry, financial expert and CEO at MoneyTransfers.com has revealed the simple ways you can make your money go further this December.
First things first, work out what you can actually afford to spend.
The worst thing you can do is begin your Christmas shopping and realise that you can’t actually afford to pay it all off.
Before you get overwhelmed by endless wishlists and Christmas dinner requests, it’s worth reminding yourself that Christmas is only one day of the year, and it’s not worth getting into financial difficulties over it.
There are several free tools you can use online to calculate a budget. Once a budget has been set, it’s important to keep an eye on your spending to avoid blowing your budget. Creating a bank of all of your receipts is a good way to do this.
Get cheap gym memberships if you claim Universal Credit
A little-known benefit of Universal Credit is discounts on gym memberships across the country.
How much of a discount you’ll get will depend on your local council.
To find yours, you can use the government’s locator tool.
To apply, you’ll need to go through your local leisure centre, but first you should check whether they offer a discount.
Universal Credit also gains access to dozens of other benefits that you can see here.
‘Warm rooms’ offered to Somerset residents this winter
Businesses in Somerset are opening their doors to help those struggling to keep warm as temperatures drop.
The Banwell Parish Council scout hut will become a public “living room” for people to use to keep warm, free of charge.
Free tea and biscuits will be put on offer, and wifi will also be available.
It will open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to noon reports Somerset Live.
DWP cold weather payment returns
The scheme offers Brits a lifeline as temperatures dip.
When temperatures drop to below zero, those eligible are paid £25 a day for a seven day stretch.
The scheme launches on the 1 November to 31 March.
The best electric blankets for staying snug
Here is a list of the most effective electric blankets.
*If you click on a link in this piece, we may earn affiliate revenue.
Click here to read more.
Contact your energy supplier for help as bills soar
Amid the destruction of Liz Truss’s mini budget earlier this week, it was announced that the energy price guarantee will now only last until April, instead of the original two years.
This means, come April, your bills will no longer be capped at £2,500, and could reach up to £5,000 per year.
Many energy companies offer help for struggling Brits, check below if yours does.
Get cheap gym memberships if you claim Universal Credit
A little-known benefit of Universal Credit is discounts on gym memberships across the country.
How much of a discount you’ll get will depend on your local council.
To find yours, you can use the government’s locator tool.
To apply, you’ll need to go through your local leisure centre, but first you should check whether they offer a discount.
Universal Credit also gains access to dozens of other benefits that you can see here.
DWP update over £150 disability payment
Some Brits are missing their £150 for the cost of living crisis.
The Department for Work and Pensions admitted that the death of the Queen and the bank holiday of her funeral set back some payments.
The sum should appear in bank accounts in the coming days.
Food banks 'saved my skin', as prices soar
One Brit opens up about how food banks are vital for survival as prices surge.
A Londoner said "for a single bloke such as myself, it’s a helpline to get some food to survive".
Gary, who lives in Kingston, saw his energy bills increase from £67 to £125 for his one bedroom flat, reported the Independent.
He told the publication that a box from a food bank lasts him two weeks and makes all the difference.
Who is eligible for Universal Credit?
Whether you are eligible will depend on your specific circumstances.
You may be eligible if you meet all of the following criteria:
- you’re on a low income or out of work
- you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
- you’re under State Pension age (or your partner is)
- you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you
- you live in the UK
Your partner’s income and savings will be taken into account, even if they are not eligible for Universal Credit.
There are other factors that might make you eligible for a claim, for instance if you care for a disabled person, you’re in further education or if you’ve recently had a child.
You can read the full eligibility criteria on the government’s website.
Use radiator reflectors to save on bills
If you are looking for an easy way to cut down your heating bill, radiator reflectors might be the answer.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Radiator reflectors cost as little as £14 for a roll, but some products claim to reduce heat loss by up to half.
“With the average household spending more than £900 a year on heating, even a five per cent efficiency saving would cut your gas bill by £45.”
Labour warns Liz Truss's 'disastrous premiership' has caused years of high mortgage rates
It has been claimed that the Tory party have cost Brits an extra £530 a month on average in mortgage payments monthly.
Liz Truss resigned as PM, and now Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and Boris Johnson are next in running for the role.
More than 100 people attend event for free winter clothes
The event, which took place in Horden, Sunderland, was a hit with locals, who managed to grab some free winter warmers.
Items such as coats, fleeces, gloves, hats, jumpers were up for grabs at the event which was held yesterday.
People queued ahead of the opening at 10am, and rails of clothes were cleared by 11:30am, reported the Sunderland Echo.
'Warm rooms' offered to Somerset residents this winter
Businesses in Somerset are opening their doors to help those struggling to keep warm as temperatures drop.
The Banwell Parish Council scout hut will become a public "living room" for people to use to keep warm, free of charge.
Free tea and biscuits will be put on offer, and wifi will also be available.
It will open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to noon reports Somerset Live.
Companies’ perks to employees to offset cost of living crisis
A national survey of UK businesses has revealed that a fifth of companies are providing employees with extra benefits such as shopping vouchers, free parking and travel subsidies.
This is to help staff offset rising costs as a result of the cost of living crisis.
However, many are still offering below inflation pay increases according to a poll conducted for the Financial Times by the Chartered Management Institute of more than 1,000 managers at companies and public sector organisations.
Cold weather payment – what do I need to know?
The Department of Work and Pensions is running a scheme from November 1 to March 31 each year that will see households rewarded with a cold weather payment.
Eligible people will receive a payment of £25 for every seven-day period in which the temperature goes below zero, which is intended for heating bills.
£400 energy rebate – what do I need to know?
Every household in the country is receiving the £400 energy rebate, without means testing.
According to i News, it will be automatically paid, so no one needs to apply for the rebate.
How much you receive depends on how much energy every household uses.
Warm Home Discount scheme – how does it work?
From November, the Warm Home Discount scheme for 2022/23.
Eligible households could get £150 off their electricity bills.
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2022-10-23 20:00:00Z
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