Boost your income before October energy price hike by checking eligibility for benefits, discounts or reductions

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Last month, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £15 billion package of further financial support for millions of households across the UK finding it increasingly more difficult to make their incomes stretch to cover the rising cost of living.

The new package is in addition to the £22 billion previously announced by the UK Government in February and now means that millions of the most vulnerable households across the country will get £1,200 of support this year along with a £400 non-repayable discount on their electricity bill - paid directly to suppliers and discounted from bills over six months.

But if you are worried it won't be enough to meet your rising costs, one of the first things to do after reviewing all your outgoings and made any necessary cutbacks, is to make sure you’re claiming all the money you’re entitled to.While many people mistakenly believe there is a stigma attached to claiming benefits, it’s worthwhile noting that an estimated £15billion state support from the DWP went unclaimed over the last year.There are several ways to boost your finances, but you will need to invest a bit of time for some of them - however, doing these now could make 2022 a bit easier, especially when the next energy price hike kicks in on October 1.Plus, most benefits take a few weeks to process, so starting a claim now could give your income a much-needed boost by the end of summer, although Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are taking around 22 weeks to process from start t finish and the Ofgem October price hike is just 16 weeks away.The obvious one to check your eligibility for is Universal Credit which is designed to help households on a low income or out of work.