Live Blog
THE Department for Work and Pensions has revealed the exact date Brits receiving Child Tax Credit, and other benefits, can expect the next Cost of Living payment.
Brits will receive their payment of £324 on November 8 - the second installment of the £650 cost of living payment to help claimants with rising energy bills.
Among those set to receive this payment, are those claiming Child Tax Credit, Universal Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Working Tax Credit.
Meanwhile, the Government has said that the vast majority of eligible claimants who were due to receive the one-off £150 disability Cost of Living payment by early October have now had their payment processed.
Read our cost of living live blog below for the latest updates....
Useful tips during cost of living crisis
With the energy crisis looming this October, cash-strapped households are being offered nifty tips on how to stretch their monthly budget.
Rebecca Bebbington, online consumer expert at NetVoucherCodes said: “We wanted to help people who are feeling anxious about their bills rising by providing some simple methods to allow them to stretch their cash this autumn.”
The online consumer expert has suggested that turning to cash may be a good way to manage the cost of rising bills.
It’s a simple trick to help with budgeting this autumn, but it’s also a useful way to save money by having physical cash to divide up and allocate towards certain spending areas.
Truss hits back
In a swipe at the Tory rebels undermining her premiership, Ms Truss said: "I know how it feels to have your potential diminished by those who think they know better."
The PM added she's used to being treated differently "for being female, or for not fitting in".
But this only made her more "determined to change things".
Bag an air fryer and cut energy costs
Liyana Leena, 32, has suggested that if you are paying a trip to Home Bargains it might be worth perusing the electrical aisle for an air fryer.
During my latest spree I noticed you could pick one up for £34 which is almost £30 cheaper than what most other shops sell them for.
Using an air fryer instead of an oven works out much cheaper when it comes to energy costs.
Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch said: “While it could cost around 12p to cook chicken in an oven, it would cost about half that in an air fryer.”
Home Bargains shopping could save you money
Liyana Leena, 32, is a self-confessed Poundland, B&M and Home Bargains superfan and has issued advice to Brits when it comes to finding the best deals.
It might be better known for its cheap homewares but you could save yourself a fortune if you start filling your food cupboards at Home Bargains.
I've done price comparisons for a while now and always found them to be the cheapest, especially on their packet, canned and jarred food.
Asda is often touted as having the lowest price point when it comes to food, particularly following the launch of its Just Essentials range.
However, research shows that Home Bargains might be cheaper as Asda recently launched a price match with the store in a bid to keep up with its low costs.
For example a bag of 40 Tetley Original tea bags will set you back £1.30 in Asda, whereas you could buy 75 for 99p in Home Bargains.
Tesco job cuts
325 jobs have been cut as part of a major shake-up as it plans to recruit thousands of temporary staff for Christmas.
The Supermarket plans to recruit 12,500 temporary workers over the Christmas period but the cuts affecting their office and field-based teams and not those that work in its stores.
A Tesco spokesperson said: "Last month we announced some changes to a small number of roles in our office and regional teams, to ensure our business is as simple and efficient as possible, and so we can continue to invest for our customers.
"This means a reduction of around 325 roles. We currently have over 500 vacancies in our office and will work with colleagues to find alternative roles wherever possible."
Liz Truss vows to start 'doing things'
Liz Truss said: "I'm not interested in just talking about things, but actually in doing things.
“In these tough times, we need to step up. I’m determined to get Britain moving, to get us through the tempest and to put us on a stronger footing as a nation.”
PM pledges she is 'determined to shield people from astronomically high bills'
Ms Truss swore to protect vulnerable Brits from soaring energy bills.
Last month the government introduced its Energy Price Guarantee, which will cap bills for the average household at £2,500.
The PM pledged: "We are determined to shield people from astronomically high bills.
"Our response to the energy crisis was the biggest part of the mini-Budget.
"It was the biggest part for a good reason – because we had to do it."
The cost of living crisis is making children ‘stressed and anxious’
Save the Children has revealed that youngsters in the UK are worried as their parents struggle to afford the cost of living.
According to a poll for the charity, 24 per cent of parents have agreed their children are “stressed and anxious”.
One in three said their children can’t take part in activities like hobbies and sports as costs rise, reported the Express.
Cheap broadband deals for struggling Brits
Four million Brits are eligible for low-cost social broadband tariffs.
But despite a slew of firms providing low-cost deals, only 1.2% of eligible Brits have signed up.
Here is a list of companies which offer low-cost social broadband tariffs.
Click here for more information.
Tesco announces pay rises as Cost of Living crisis deepens
The high street supermarket has announced pay rises for staff, as it looks to combat the deepening Cost of Living crisis.
From November 13, the basic hourly rate of pay in Tesco stores will increase by 20p to £10.30, and to £10.98 in London.
The shopworkers’ union Usdaw has praised this decision.
Daniel Adams, national officer at Usdaw said: "As the cost-of-living crisis has deepened, Usdaw has continued to engage with Tesco on what can be done to support employees through this incredibly difficult time.
"Securing additional investment outside of the normal pay cycle is unprecedented within the business and we welcome the fact that the company has engaged positively with the union and recognised the need to respond.
"Usdaw is campaigning for urgent Government action on the cost-of-living crisis and will continue to engage with employers to secure urgent assistance to tackle the hardship that many of our members are facing.”
Click here to read more.
Gyms shutting hot tub's as they struggle to pay bills
During the cold weather there is nothing better than plunging into a nice warm hot tub, but for some that won't be an option.
At all 72 centres of Nuffield health, hot tubs will be out of action as energy prices soar, reported My London.
One member said: "The hot tub and pool [are] the only reasons I'm a member of this gym."
"I think they will potentially lose members due to this policy. I know some of the older members specifically use this during winter months," another told the publication.
Keir Starmer claims Labour would do things ‘differently’
Following the PM’s speech at the Conservative party conference earlier today, Labour leader Keir Starmer claims “Labour would do thing differently”.
He said: “People across Britain are worried about rising bills, rising mortgages, rising costs.
“Yet the Tories still refuse to abandon their kamikaze budget that crashed the economy.”
Liz Truss vowed to start ‘doing things’
Liz Truss said: “I’m not interested in just talking about things, but actually in doing things.
“In these tough times, we need to step up. I’m determined to get Britain moving, to get us through the tempest and to put us on a stronger footing as a nation.”
Pub offers free hot drinks for struggling Brits this winter
A Devonshire pub is spreading the love by helping to keep Brits warm.
The owners of the London Inn, in Okehampton, is offering a warm drink for those who want to sit by the fire in their pub.
Landlord Simon Chudley wanted to help out the local community, and was inspired by a Torquay pub called Molloys in St Marychurch.
He told Devon Live: "I got the idea for them after seeing they had put up a post about it and said if more pubs got involved it would make a huge difference so I decided to do the same thing.
"The first day we did it was the Queen's funeral. We said people could come along and watch it for free together while having free tea and coffee. It was such a success we decided to carry it on."
Vulnerable Brits sent into 'financial distress'
It has been claimed by a new survey that around 27 per cent of Brits are struggling to keep on top of their monthly payments.
Mortgage Solutions found that 26 per cent of Brits have suffered "worsened mental distress after being chased for missed payments or debt".
Helen Lord, CEO of the Vulnerability Registration Service, told Mortgage Solutions that “far too many people in the UK were already struggling with their mental health, which can make it much harder for them to manage their day-to-day finances.
"The current cost of living is now pushing many vulnerable people to breaking point."
How much does it cost to run your hairdryer?
With bills set to rise this weekend, Brits everywhere are looking for ways to cut back on energy expenses.
So, how much does your hairdryer cost you every year?
Currently, it costs about £14 a year to use it – but exact costs vary depending on how powerful your hair dryer is.
How do you cut down on this?
Well, a Uswitch.com spokesperson said: “Some hairdryers have an eco mode where they don’t heat the air, which uses significantly less power, but also takes much longer to dry your hair.
“Using this method could cost less than a pound over the course of a year.”
Click here to read more.
Brits advised not to turn certain appliances off
Boilers, along with WiFi and certain kitchen appliances, should not be turned off at night.
For example, turning the WiFi off could send signals to your provider there is a fault on the line.
A spokesperson from BoilerCentral told us why you shouldn't switch your boiler off at night: "If the boiler is turned off and you have forgotten to turn it back on, some can be temperamental and then require a call out.
"It is advised to first look at adjusting your thermostat settings instead of turning your boiler off.
"If someone is looking to regularly turn off their boiler then to ensure it can be done without causing problems it’s advised to get it serviced annually."
Morrisons drop petrol price soon
Morrisons will help people during the cost of living crisis save money on their fuel by offering 5p off a litre.
The supermarket has said customers who spend £40 in store between September 29 and October 9 will get a 5p off coupon.
The offer will be available to use at all of Morrisons’ 339 petrol stations across the UK.
Customers have until October 16 to redeem their money-off voucher.
Useful tips during cost of living crisis
With the energy crisis looming this October, cash-strapped households are being offered nifty tips on how to stretch their monthly budget.
Rebecca Bebbington, online consumer expert at NetVoucherCodes said: “We wanted to help people who are feeling anxious about their bills rising by providing some simple methods to allow them to stretch their cash this autumn.”
The online consumer expert has suggested that turning to cash may be a good way to manage the cost of rising bills.
It’s a simple trick to help with budgeting this autumn, but it’s also a useful way to save money by having physical cash to divide up and allocate towards certain spending areas.
Keir Starmer claims Labour would do things 'differently'
Following the PM's speech at the Conservative party conference earlier today, Labour leader Keir Starmer claims "Labour would do thing differently".
He said: "People across Britain are worried about rising bills, rising mortgages, rising costs.
"Yet the Tories still refuse to abandon their kamikaze budget that crashed the economy."
People across Britain are worried about rising bills, rising mortgages, rising costs.
Yet the Tories still refuse to abandon their kamikaze budget that crashed the economy.
Labour would do things differently because we know real growth comes from working people and businesses.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 5, 2022Truss hits back
In a swipe at the Tory rebels undermining her premiership, Ms Truss said: "I know how it feels to have your potential diminished by those who think they know better."
The PM added she's used to being treated differently "for being female, or for not fitting in".
But this only made her more "determined to change things".
