MILLIONS of households are bracing for the worst as energy bills rise and the cost of living soars.
Inflation is predicted to reach over 18% next spring and has already hit 10.1%.
Some 45 million Brits are expected to be plunged into fuel poverty this winter.
But there is help on offer if you're struggling, whether it be through cost of living payments, the Household Support Fund or a Council Tax rebate.
Here are eight ways you can get free cash transferred into your bank account.
Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund was launched by the government in September last year.
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It originally offered £500million to councils across England, and was due to run until March 31 this year -but was extended to September 30.
The money is spread between councils which then decide who they want to give it to and how much they'll give.
In Derby, households were offered between £80 and £120, in one-off vouchers to be spent across a number of supermarkets.
Torbay council offered residents a maximum amount of £50 towards food or energy bills.
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But some councils are making automatic payments to households who receive means-tested benefits as well, so you could be line for a payment into your bank account.
Because each council decides who gets paid what, it's best to check in with yours to figure out if you're eligible.
If you don't know what council area you fall under, you can use the government's tool here.
Once you've figured out your council, there should be information on its website about how to apply.
Free school meals
Since September 2014, all children in Reception, Year 1 and 2 have been entitled to a free school meal at lunch, regardless of their parents' financial situation.
And your child may be eligible for free school meals if you receive certain benefits including Income Support, Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit.
Families on Universal Credit can only get free school meals if their annual income is less than £7,400, not including benefits, for example.
If you want to apply for free school meals, you can do so via the government's website here.
Cost of living payments
Rishi Sunak, then chancellor, announced a bumper package of support for vulnerable households back in May.
The package included a £650 cost of living payment, £400 energy bill rebate, £300 payment for pensioners, and £150 for those with disabilities.
The payments are being made at different times across the year.
For example, the £650 cost of living payment is being split into two.
The first £326 instalment should have already been paid to the majority of the eight million eligible.
The remaining amount on tax credits should start receiving it next month.
We previously revealed all the key dates for the cost of living payments.
Many of the payments are being made directly into bank accounts.
But it's worth checking on the government's website here if you're eligible for the payments and how you'll get them.
Current account switch
Many banks and building societies offer free cash for switching accounts.
First Direct is handing £175 to prospective customers who open a new current account.
Meanwhile, Santander is offering customers up to £200 cashback on their energy bills and extra money for switching accounts.
But you should always be careful when taking banks up on switching deals.
Make sure you're switching because the bank's accounts are worthwhile, and not just because of the free money.
Also, it's worth checking the terms and conditions to see whether you'll only be entitled to your free payment if you fulfil certain criteria.
Tax-free childcare
You could claim up to £2,000 a year to help you pay for your childcare.
All working parents with children who are 11 or under can apply for the Government's tax-free childcare scheme.
It could be worth up to £4,000 if your child is disabled.
The scheme basically works like a savings account – for every £8 you save on childcare costs, the government tops up an extra £2.
To be eligible, working parents should be earning at least the minimum wage, for the equivalent of 16 hours a week.
Martin Lewis has previously estimated that 1.3million families were missing out on the money.
If you are eligible, the money is paid directly into parents' childcare accounts.
You can then spend the cash on a registered childcare provider.
You can apply for the schemevia the government's website. It should only take you around 20 minutes to apply.
Help to save account
Millions on Universal Credit could be missing out on a cash bonus worth £1,200.
The Help to Save account gives you extra cash on top of your savings and for each £1 you put aside, the government gives you a 50p bonus.
If you save the maximum amount a year, you could earn up to £1,200 over the four-year period you can save.
That's because you can save between £1 and £50 a month.
So, if you save £50 a month for four years, you get £1,200.
As of July this year, just under 360,000 of these accounts were open, a 75,000 rise from the start of the year.
But that means there are millions on Universal Credit who are missing out on the payment.
Help to Save accounts are available to people receiving working tax credit, those entitled to working tax credit and child tax credit, and those receiving Universal Credit who earned £604.56 or more from paid work in the their last monthly assessment period.
You can set up an account via the government's website, but you'll need a government gateway user ID and password.
If you don't have access to the internet, you can call 0300 322 7093.
It's worth noting that any payments from the government will be paid into a bank account provided rather than a savings account.
Welfare assistance scheme
Many councils across England run welfare assistance schemes to help households on low budgets who might have fallen into financial difficulty.
You can get supermarket vouchers to spend at Aldi or Morrisons, cash grants and money to pay for furniture.
But what you'll be entitled to will depend on where you live, as each council decides what to divvy out to residents.
You can get £1,000 in some areas, but some authorities don't have schemes at all.
Earlier this year, East Riding of Yorkshire Council was offering up to £1,000 of help to households to cover the cost of basic household items.
Gloucestershire was offering up to £800 for carpets, household appliances and furniture as well.
Council tax rebate
The £150 council tax rebate is paid out to households who live in homes between council tax bands A – D.
If you pay by direct debit, you should have already received your payment in most cases.
If not, it will be paid directly into your account so you don't have to do anything.
If you don't pay by direct debit you will have to approach your council for more details.
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If you're worried about falling behind on bills. there are plenty of organisations where you can get advice for free, including:
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
- Step Change – 0800 138 1111
- Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
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