DWP information: October 2025 funds dates for advantages and pensions plus price of dwelling assist | EUROtoday

As temperatures start to drop following a scorching summer time, many will likely be worrying concerning the elevated prices that the colder seasons convey.

For tens of millions within the nation, managing the price of dwelling stays a every day battle as costs proceed to rise sooner than family incomes.

Despite inflation returning to pre-pandemic ranges, the price of items has remained persistently excessive within the face of stagnant wages. At the identical time, exorbitant family payments imply tens of millions are grappling with money owed to afford the necessities.

Around 14 million adults are going with out meals as a result of they can not afford it, current analysis by Trussell discovered. Meanwhile, power arrears have greater than doubled over the previous 5 years, rising to £3.9 billion on the finish of 2024.

Recent analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation discovered that low-income households within the UK are on the right track for the worst fall in dwelling requirements on document by the subsequent election in 2029.

Against this tough financial backdrop, it’s essential that households are claiming all of the assist the they entitled to. There at the moment are round 24 million individuals within the nation claiming some mixture of DWP-administered advantages, representing round one in three individuals.

Yet new analysis by Policy in Practice exhibits that £24 billion value of advantages goes unclaimed yearly – you should use their useful calculator to work out what you is perhaps entitled to.

Are you dwelling in a family affected by the two-child profit cap? Get in contact through electronic mail: albert.toth@impartial.co.uk

Here is an summary of the monetary assist out there to households this October and key dates for profit and state pension recipients to look out for:

Benefit cost dates in October

Benefit funds will likely be going out as regular in October as there are not any financial institution holidays to pay attention to. These embody:

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

The DWP is aiming to finish the migration of all ‘legacy benefits’ to Universal Credit by January 2026. Those receiving tax credit, revenue assist, jobseeker’s allowance, and housing profit ought to have acquired a discover about transferring to Universal Credit already.

Are you having points with PIP, Universal Credit, or some other profit? Get in contact through electronic mail: albert.toth@impartial.co.uk

Pension cost dates in October

The fundamental state pension is paid straight into financial institution accounts just like how advantages are paid. It is often paid each 4 weeks, with the precise day you obtain it equivalent to the final two digits of your nationwide insurance coverage (NI) quantity.

Here’s when you ought to be paid primarily based on these numbers:

When will profit charges go up?

In April, all advantages had been uprated by 1.7 per cent, matching the September 2024 inflation determine. The improve utilized to all working-age advantages, together with common credit score, PIP, DLA, attendance allowance, carer’s allowance, ESA and extra.

Meanwhile, according to the triple lock, the state pension rose by 4.1 per cent – up £472 a 12 months – matching wage development in 2024.

In April 2026, all Universal Credit claimants will obtain an above-inflation improve to their revenue following the passage of Labour’s controversial welfare invoice. These extra-inflationary will increase will proceed yearly till 2029, with the primary being an increase of no less than 2.3 per cent.

However, on the identical time, the month-to-month cost charge for the health-related ingredient of Universal Credit for brand new claimants will likely be minimize from £105 to £50. This charge may also be frozen till 2029.

This is a discount of over £200 a month, chopping the extra charge by round half. This means it’s advisable for anybody who thinks they is perhaps eligible to use as quickly as they’ll.

The state pension is predicted to rise by 4.7 per cent from subsequent April according to annual earnings development. This will convey the weekly quantity to £241.05.

Other assist out there

Budgeting advance loans

The authorities provides a ‘budgeting advance loan’ for individuals on Universal Credit who face an emergency lack of cash. The mortgage has a most reimbursement interval of two years.

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

Following the Labour Budget in October, a brand new cap has been launched on the quantity the DWP can deduct from profit funds to repay loans and money owed, together with budgeting advance loans.

From April 2025, deductions from common credit score will likely be capped at 15 per cent of the usual allowance, down from 25 per cent.

Discretionary Housing Payment

Households can apply to their council for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP), which provides monetary assist to go in the direction of lease or housing prices.

You can solely get a DHP in case you are in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing ingredient of Universal Credit. It can cowl housing prices for a lease shortfall, lease deposits and lease prematurely if it is advisable to transfer dwelling.

Exact eligibility and the funds out there are selected a council-by-council foundation, so you’ll need to get in contact along with your native authority to search out out extra.

Household Support Fund

The Household Support Fund (HSF), distributed by native councils, provides very important help to these dealing with monetary hardship, complementing normal advantages and grants.

As a part of this authorities initiative, eligible households all through the UK can entry assist reminiscent of important home equipment, contributions in the direction of utility payments, and direct money funds reaching as much as £300.

Local authorities are free to determine the way to allocate their HSF funding to swimsuit households of their space, so precisely what is on the market will range. To apply, households have to contact their council (most supply a web based kind).

This nationwide program is ready to run till March 2026. The authorities has dedicated £1 billion in funding to transition it right into a ‘Crisis and Resilience Fund’, which may also change the DHP.

Charitable grants

If you might be struggling financially, you might be eligible for sure charitable grants. There are a variety of grants out there relying in your circumstances.

However, these grants will sometimes require you to fulfill particular standards and solely be capable to supply restricted funds.

Charitable grants can be found for people who find themselves disabled or sick, carers, bereaved, unemployed, college students – and plenty of extra. The charity Turn2us has a web based software to seek for grants which can be out there to you.

Energy supplier assist

A lot of power suppliers supply assist for these fighting their power payments. These embody British Gas, Scottish Power, EDF, E.ON and Octopus. It is value contacting your power supplier to search out out in case you are eligible.

Council tax discount

If you meet sure standards or are on sure advantages, you could possibly apply for a reduction in your council tax low cost of as much as 100 per cent (that is typically known as council tax assist).

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

To apply for a council tax discount, you may contact your native council through the federal government’s web site.

Up to 30 hours of free childcare

From 1 September 2025, all working dad and mom within the UK grew to become entitled to 30 hours of free childcare for youngsters as much as the age of 4. This concludes a gradual set of expansions that started in April 2024.

Parents should apply on-line and reconfirm your eligibility each three months, in time for every faculty time period. Working dad and mom also can apply for tax-free childcare, giving again 20p for each 80p you place in the direction of childcare, as much as a most of £500 a 12 months.

Energy Price Cap: Is it going up?

Ofgem’s power worth cap will likely be rising by two per cent in October, from £1,720 to £1,755. The £35 rise comes after a extra sizeable seven per cent lower for July to September, from £1,849 to £1,720.

The power worth cap is the utmost quantity power suppliers can cost you for every unit of power in case you’re on a regular variable tariff. That consists of most households. It is expressed as an annual invoice for a median dwelling.

Many specialists – together with Ofgem itself – are recommending households think about a hard and fast tariff power deal, with many in the marketplace providing decrease than the worth cap charge.

Will there be one other Cost of Living Payment in 2025?

The DWP haven’t introduced any continuation of the Cost of Living Payment scheme that ran between 2022 and 2024. The last cost ought to have been made to eligible households between 6 February and 22 February 2024.

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