Important Grants for Every Day Living

Many families throughout the country have a difficult time just paying for their everyday living expenses. Although, many of these families have an income coming into the household, it is just not enough to pay for all the bills, in addition to all the other everyday living expenses like food and clothing.

The UK government has established various grant programs that are designs specifically to ensure that all families in the country have at least their basic needs met. Below is a look at some of these grants and how they can help your family.

 
Housing
Of course, housing is a basic necessity for all families. The government offers a Local Housing Allowance program that helps families offset some of the costs they pay for rent. The government will pay a portion of the rent, and you are only obligated to pay the remaining portion. Eligibility is based on income and the number of people in the family. The exact amount that the government will pay towards rent depends on various factors, such as the number of people in your family, your income and the size of the home you rent.

Utilities
The government also has various utility programs that help to reduce the amount of your monthly bills. Below is a look at some of these programs.

• Winter Fuel Grant – The winter grant program is only for seniors who were born before 1952. It offers a one-time payment of up to £300 to offset your utility bills.
• Cold Weather Grant – This grant is available to all low-income residents and offers a one-time payment of £25 every time the temperature falls below zero days for seven consecutive days.
• Warm Home Scheme – This is another one-time payment of £135 that can be used to offset your winter electric bill.
• Warm Front – Rather than help you pay for your utility bills, this program helps to make energy-saving changes to your home to reduce your monthly electric bill.
• Council Tax Reduction – While all residents are required to pay the council taxes, some low-income families can apply to have their tax rate reduce or eliminated. The tax break is based on your family size and income level.

Food
There are also several food grants and non-profit organisations that help families offset the cost of food. Here is a look at the top three options.

• Free School Lunches – Low-income families with children attending school may be eligible to receive free lunches for their children. Each school will help to determine family’s eligibility.
• Healthy Starts- This program provides food vouchers for women who are pregnant and children under the age of four-years old. It provides foods like, baby’s formula, milk, fruit and vegetables.
• Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens – There are numerous churches and other non-profit organisations around the country that offer food items at their food pantries and meals at their soup kitchens. This can be a great way to defray some of the costs of purchasing food.

Childcare
The government will also help families defer the costs of childcare for times when they are working or going to school. For individuals who are going back to school and have children, you can receive up to £148.75 per week for one child and £255 per week for two or more children to help pay for your childcare expenses. If you are working, you are eligible for a tax credit of £122.50 per week for one child or £210.00 per week for two or more children. If your employer provide a childcare voucher this tax credit could be reduced.

 
Understanding all of the tax credits and grants available to you can help you receive the assistance you require and deserve. The government has put many of these programs in place specifically to help you through tough times. Make sure you apply for all applicable grants and credits, to help you and your family better afford these everyday life expenses. In addition to grants, there are also benefit loans to help with household emergencies that require cash.

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