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Five payments worth £3,510 are being handed to UK households before Christmas . Thanks to the Department for Work and Pensions, or DWP , there are a number of payments being administered to keep UK households ticking over over Christmas. There are a number of freebies you can access from the local council or by simply switching bank account. The payments include the Christmas Bonus and Winter Fuel Payments, as well as bank account switching bonuses. New research by Thinkmoney has revealed that the average household is set to spend £787 on the festive season an increase of £87 on last year. READ MORE Mortgage warning for UK households as they risk being 'squeezed' Despite spending more, many feel they are getting less, and some would rather skip the holiday altogether: almost a third of people (30%) say they would cancel or delay Christmas if they could. The DWP Christmas bonus is a one-off £10 payment for people receiving benefits to help them through the festive period. It is normally paid to people during the first full week of December (this year, that is the week beginning Monday, 1 December), so you will receive it automatically if you are eligible. A major change to this year’s Winter Fuel Payment means that everyone over State Pension age (66), with an income of £35,000 or below will now benefit from the tax-free payment worth up to £300 per household. The government has announced that claiming Pension Credit is no longer key to getting the Winter Fuel Payment in England and Wales. Instead, the payment of up to £300 per household will be made automatically to all pensioners, however, If you have yearly taxable earnings above £35,000 most of the money will be taken back by HMRC. If you have yearly taxable earnings of £35,000 or less, you will keep the payment. This is a major change in eligibility, and it is estimated that around three quarters of all pensioners will now get – and keep - the tax-free payment this winter. More details about the 2025/26 payment will be availableOpens in a new window on GOV.UK at the end of June. British Gas said: "Through the British Gas Energy Trust, our support fund has helped more than 32,000 British Gas customers since 2021 with energy debt write off grants worth up to £2,000. It’s also funding extra money advice services across England, Scotland and Wales, building on the support already offered to all households." It adds: "We know some of these grants and benefits won’t apply to everyone. But if you’re struggling to afford your energy bills, let us know. We’ve got lots of ways to make things more manageable." Households will soon be able to get their hands on £300 worth of cash to help with the cost of living. The help comes as part of the Government's Household Support Fund, and aims to aid those who are most vulnerable. The scheme has been extended a number of times, with the latest round of payments running between April 2025 and March 2026. Each council in England is allocated a portion of the £742 million fund, which it then distributes to residents struggling with the rising cost of living. Barclays has launched a new cash switch offer, which means some customers could receive total bonuses of up to £900 if they switch both their current account and their Isa savings. On Tuesday, the bank launched a new current account offer, with a £200 cash reward for new customers switching to its bank account with blue rewards, and £400 cash for new customers switching to a premier account. The offer applies to switches made between 7 October and 27 November. To qualify, customers must open a Barclays current account or premier current account using the Barclays app. It means Barclays have joined the battle between high street banks to attract new customers, which has already seen several offer significant sums or other perks.
