The government's Cost of Living Payments scheme ended in February 2024 with the final £299 payment. But that doesn't mean support has stopped. There are still several types of help available if you're struggling with day-to-day costs — including a brand-new scheme for 2026.
The Household Support Fund, which many households relied on for help with food, energy and essentials, ran up to March 2026. It's since been replaced by a new three-year scheme, the Crisis and Resilience Fund, running until March 2029 — and there's a range of other support still in place too, from Winter Fuel Payments to Council Tax reductions.
Cost of Living Payments were brought in as an emergency measure during a very tough time where inflation and post-pandemic pressures caused the cost of living to skyrocket.
The government introduced a comprehensive support package worth over £15 billion to help the most vulnerable households through this crisis period.
If you were eligible, you may have received top-ups to existing benefits or possibly accessed new support.
Low-income households:
Disability Support:
Pensioner Support:
Total possible support:
Around 8 million households got Cost of Living Payments. These went to people on certain means-tested benefits, such as:
The last Cost of Living Payment was £299. This was paid between 6–22 February 2024. It was the final payment, and it meant families received £900 in total that year to help with their bills.
No — the government has not announced any further Cost of Living Payments.
⚠️ Be aware of scams: If you see texts, emails, or social media posts claiming you can apply for a new Cost of Living Payment, it's likely to be a scam. The DWP never asks for bank details by text, email, or phone call.
If you're struggling with everyday costs, support is still available in 2026 through other schemes.
Here are the main schemes running in 2026, and how to get them:
|
Support Scheme |
Amount |
Who's Eligible |
How to Access |
|
Crisis and Resilience Fund (replaces the Household Support Fund) |
Varies by council |
Households facing financial shocks or crisis |
Apply through local council or Citizens Advice |
|
Winter Fuel Payment |
£200–£300 |
All pensioners of State Pension age; payment is reclaimed by HMRC if annual income is over £35,000 |
Automatic |
|
Warm Home Discount |
£150 electricity discount |
Anyone on a qualifying means-tested benefit (the "high energy cost" property test has been removed) |
Mostly automatic |
|
Cold Weather Payments |
£25 per qualifying week |
Benefit recipients when temp below 0°C for 7 days |
Automatic |
|
Pension Credit |
Guarantee Credit: £238.00/week single, £363.25/week couple (2026/27) |
Pensioners on low income (gateway to other support) |
Must apply — can backdate 3 months |
|
Council Tax Support |
25%–100% reduction |
Low-income households |
Apply through local council |
|
Universal Credit |
Standard allowance now £424.90/month for a single adult 25+ (2026/27) |
Low-income working families, unemployed, disabled people |
Apply online |
|
Local Welfare Assistance |
Emergency grants |
Some councils still run this separately from the Crisis and Resilience Fund, though many have now merged the two — check with your local council. |
Apply through local council |
(Source: House of Commons Library – Benefits Uprating 2026/27; Turn2us – Benefit increases April 2026)
The Household Support Fund ended on 31 March 2026 after running since 2021. It has been replaced by a new three-year scheme, the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), running from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.
Like its predecessor, the CRF is designed to help with:
The CRF also has a longer-term aim: helping build financial resilience in communities, not just responding to one-off crises.
Each council is still developing its own local delivery plan, so the details vary by area. In general:
👉 To apply: Contact your local Citizens Advice or council directly, or search online for "Crisis and Resilience Fund [your council name]".
Winter brings its own set of costs — and its own set of schemes designed to help with them.
This helps pensioners with heating costs. The eligibility rules changed significantly for winter 2025/26 and are different from previous years.
Who qualifies now:
How much you get:
When it's paid: Automatically, between November and December each year. You can opt out if you'd rather not deal with the tax reclaim — the deadline for winter 2026/27 is 20 September 2026.
This gives a £150 discount on your electricity bill during winter (October to March).
Automatic eligibility:
Other possible eligibility (you may need to apply, particularly in Scotland):
👉 From winter 2025/26, the government removed the "high energy cost" property test completely, so eligibility is no longer based on how expensive your home is to heat — only on whether you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit. This change has now been made permanent, with new regulations extending the scheme to 2031.
Around 6 million households are expected to benefit each year, up from around 3.35 million before the change.
You'll get £25 automatically if your local area has 7 days in a row where the temperature is 0°C or below.
Who qualifies:
When it's paid: 1 November to 31 March each year.
For many households, benefits are the biggest source of ongoing support.
Universal Credit gives monthly help if you're on a low income, or a single parent, whether you're working or not.
It can include extra amounts for:
Council Tax is one of the biggest household bills, and there's more flexibility on it than most people realise.
Council Tax Support (sometimes called Council Tax Reduction) can cut your bill based on things like:
Each council runs its own scheme, so the criteria vary.
If you need help right now rather than in the coming weeks, your council may be able to step in.
In many areas this is now delivered through the Crisis and Resilience Fund, though some councils still run a separate local welfare scheme alongside it — check what's available with your council.
Beyond government and council schemes, your energy supplier may also be able to help directly — especially if you're struggling to keep up with bills.
Most big energy companies have schemes to help people in difficulty. Examples include:
Government and council schemes aren't the only place to turn — charities can offer both money and guidance.
With so many schemes on offer, it helps to know where to start.
The emergency Cost of Living Payments may have ended, but there's still plenty out there if you know where to look. In fact, around £19 billion in benefits go unclaimed every year — often because people don't realise what they could get.
👉 Don't rule yourself out. Even if you're not sure you'll qualify, it's worth checking. Many are more flexible than people think — and when you add them together, they can make a big difference to your household budget.
Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure content is correct when published. Information on this website doesn't constitute financial advice, and we aren't responsible for the content of any external sites.
Fiona is a personal finance writer with over 7 years’ experience writing for a broad range of industries before joining Ocean in 2021. She uses her wealth of experience to turn the overwhelming aspects of finance into articles that are easy to understand.
