British Gas has reopened its hardship fund for non-customers today (July 1) with grants worth up to £1,500 for struggling households. The British Gas Energy Trust for Individual and Families closed in the spring but is now accepting applications once again. To be eligible for help, you need to live in England, Scotland or Wales and be in debt to your energy company (not specific to British Gas). You must also not have more than £1,000 in savings and have received help from a money advice agency. The easiest - and the free way - to do this is through a charity. The main ones who will help you with energy bills are National Energy Action , Home Energy Scotland and Citizens Advice . Are you worried about affording your energy bills this winter? Let us know: [email protected] Finally, to get help through British Gas, you must not have received a grant from its Energy Trust within the last two years. You can see full eligibility criteria and … [Read more...] about British Gas reopens hardship fund TODAY with free energy bill help worth up to £1,500
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‘So stressed!’ PIP claimant ‘left with no money’ after energy bills more than tripled
Energy bills: Chairman reveals 140% increase in calls for help Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Graham lives in the UK, but cannot work due to several health conditions and so receives both PIP and Universal Credit. Living alone, he struggled to afford his energy bills which were £50 a month. Related articles Always ask your bank a question when they call to prove their identity TV licence fee plans could see property-rich pensioners 'pay more' However, now these have more than tripled, and he is extremely worried about how he will cope. Graham told Citizens Advice: “I’ve asked my supplier to take the payment on a certain day to … [Read more...] about ‘So stressed!’ PIP claimant ‘left with no money’ after energy bills more than tripled
‘Alarming!’ Desperate parents dip into children’s savings to pay for skyrocketing bills
Rail strike: Raab warns pay rise to 'fuel vicious cycle of inflation' Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info According to a survey conducted by The Telegraph, parents are taking approximately £8.5million per day out of children’s savings for household bills. The ever-increasing rate of inflation means that more and more Brits are struggling to cover the costs of basic needs. Related articles Man dies in M4 police incident Thick black smoke billows into sky as huge fire breaks out in London Inflation currently stands at 9.1 percent with further increases expected as it reaches its fastest increase rate in four decades. Rebecca … [Read more...] about ‘Alarming!’ Desperate parents dip into children’s savings to pay for skyrocketing bills
Parents dipping into children’s savings to pay soaring bills, poll finds
Parents have resorted to dipping into their children ’s savings to afford to pay for the soaring cost of household bills , a poll has found. According to a survey for The Telegraph , Britons are lifting £8.5m a day from their children as the sprialling rate of inflation - which recently hit a 40-year high - continues to top up already sky-high domestic costs. The poll revealed that families had withdrawn almost £300 on average from their children’s savings so far this year. It found a third of the 2,000 people questioned had raided their children’s funds this year and suggested a total of £1.4bn has been withdrawn so far. Almost a quarter said they had extracted the funds to pay for increasingly expensive food shops, one in four said they had done so to help pay for exorbitant energy bills, while 6 per cent said they used their children’s savings to pay for travel. More than a quarter said they had either reduced the amount they were keeping aside for … [Read more...] about Parents dipping into children’s savings to pay soaring bills, poll finds
Disabled man had to sell late wife’s Star Wars collection to pay the bills
A disabled man is having to sell his late wife’s possession in order to keep his head above water as inflation bites. Jason Alcock said he is struggling to make ends meet amid the cost of living crisis hitting people up and down the country. The 51-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent lives with autism, ADHD and bipolar disorder, conditions which make finding work extremely difficult. With the price of everyday goods rising at levels unmatched in 40 years, he is faced with making heartbreaking decisions to pay the bills. His wife Paola died in 2018 after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Jason has resorted to raising funds from treasured items she left behind to stay afloat. He said: ‘I worked out I’ve sold £8,000 worth of stuff in the last three years to survive. ‘Paola had a Star Wars collection, she used to do a lot of crafts. All those kinds of things, her old phones and tablets and everything like that, that’s all been sold. ‘A lot of the … [Read more...] about Disabled man had to sell late wife’s Star Wars collection to pay the bills
Scholz: Germans must ‘stick together’ over cost of living crisis
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday urged the public to face the country's economic problems together, as inflation in Europe's leading economy remained stubbornly high. Scholz published a new video in his weekly podcast, admitting that rising prices were troubling many citizens . He called for the population to "link arms and stick together." Just days after data showed prices rose 7.6% in June compared to a year earlier, Scholz said he would convene a meeting of experts to tackle the cost of living crisis. The chancellor said he has invited trade unions, employers, the central bank (Bundesbank) and academics for a summit that kicks off Monday at the chancellery in Berlin. The campaign, dubbed "Concerted Action," echoes similar efforts by former West German chancellors in the 1960s and 1970s. One-off payments proposed instead of wage hikes Economists and politicians have mooted several ideas in recent days to ease the burden on personal budgets. Labor Minister … [Read more...] about Scholz: Germans must ‘stick together’ over cost of living crisis
Santander hikes savings account to 2.5% interest rate – but does it beat inflation?
Martin Lewis advises on savings accounts and premium bonds Get pensions news and advice plus latest money alerts for FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info The 123 Regular e-Saver is available to new and existing customers of the bank and allows savers to despoti up to £200 per month. While the 2.5 percent interest rate is competitive in today’s market, the recent rise in inflation to nine percent threatens its value to those interested in Santander’s latest offering. Furthermore, financial experts expect the inflation rate to hit ten percent at some point this year. Related articles State pension may hit £10,600 yet old state pension will pay just £8k State pension triple lock will return - but … [Read more...] about Santander hikes savings account to 2.5% interest rate – but does it beat inflation?
700,000 soldiers defending Ukraine now, Zelenskyy says, as battles rage in the Donbas
Some 700,000 Ukrainian soldiers are now actively participating in defending the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a televised interview on Saturday. In comparison, Russia deployed anywhere between 100,000 to 190,000 troops when it launched its invasion on 24 February, with the exact numbers of currently active units unclear. Meanwhile, the Moscow forces continued their assault in the east after claiming victory in Mariupol on Friday as the last Ukrainian defenders holed up in Azovstal laid down their arms. Read more about the day's developments in our live blog below. 05.21.2022 10:03 Saturday's key points: Russia suspended its gas delivery to Finland on Saturday morning in response to the country's NATO membership bid. The Russian military says it has fully taken over the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol after the last Ukrainian fighters gave themselves up. Earlier, Moscow said more than 1,900 Ukrainian fighters … [Read more...] about 700,000 soldiers defending Ukraine now, Zelenskyy says, as battles rage in the Donbas
‘You can smell where the money is’: Graeme Hart and his innate sense of commerce
Graeme Hart says he was a “terrible” student who was encouraged to leave school as soon as he turned 15, but once he found what he loved – business and commerce – there was no stopping him. Now 67 and New Zealand’s richest man, Hart says he looks back on his early experiences and on reflection finds them “entirely predictable”. A very independent person, he didn’t enjoy school, but outside of the classroom he had a “wicked” work ethic, and was always working after school and in the school holidays. He funnelled his energy into buying and fixing up cars, pulling apart engines in the family lounge and filling the garage with tools and cars. So after the career guidance counsellor at Mt Roskill Grammar took him aside and suggested he might like to leave school the following day on his 15th birthday, it was a natural transition to get an apprenticeship as a panel beater. READ MORE: Business Hall of Fame: Kiwi entrepreneurs honoured New Zealand's richest person donates … [Read more...] about ‘You can smell where the money is’: Graeme Hart and his innate sense of commerce
Boris and Rishi announce £6,000,000,000 cost-of-living tax cut
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have told Brits the government is ‘on your side’ when it comes to the spiralling cost-of-living crisis. But with food and petrol prices reaching fresh highs, plunging millions into financial distress, some might find their assurances hard to stomach. In an op-ed for the Sun on Sunday , the prime minister and chancellor outlined what they are calling ‘the single biggest tax cut in a decade’, worth £6 billion. Their measures include ‘a council tax rebate, a cut in fuel duty, at least £400 for every household to help with energy bills and at least £1,200 for the eight million most vulnerable households’. Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak said that when the National Insurance (NI) threshold rises this Wednesday from £9,880 to £12,570, it will save up to £330 a year for 30 million people. They claim the change will lift 2.2 million people out of paying any NI or income tax on their earnings. ‘We know it’s tough but we want you to know that … [Read more...] about Boris and Rishi announce £6,000,000,000 cost-of-living tax cut