Money Support

Need help with your water bill?
If you're on a low income or receive Pension Credit, you could get up to 40% off your water rates. You can check if you are eligible by visiting Low Income Discount, or if you pay water rates through your rent, ask your rent adviser to find out if you are eligible. 

If you have a water meter, Northumbrian Water have a range of services including water saving tips and financial support.

We expect this year's discounts to be applied to your rent account from August 2025, and it will be backdated to cover charges from April 2025. 

Managed Migration
The Department for Work and Pensions has published the timetable for migrating people who receive certain benefits onto Universal Credit. Find out more and request support with your claim, by visiting Managed Migration.

Changes to LCWRA
Changes are coming for the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element of Universal Credit, impacting you if you have a long-term health condition or disability.

Starting from April 2026, if you already receive the LCWRA payment, it will stay at £97 each week until 2029/30. However, new claimants after this date will only get £50 a week until 2029/30. The LCWRA payment will now be combined with Personal Independence Payment (PIP), so people won't have to go through a separate Work Capability Assessment anymore.

There will also be a new payment for people who have serious health issues that make it hard for them to work for a long time. Finally, the Work Capability Assessment will be completely removed by 2028, replaced by a simpler health assessment.

If you think you may be affected by these changes, please contact us 

The Government is planning to consult on a proposal to change the eligibility criteria for PIP, which could affect how you might qualify. PIP is a benefit that helps people under state pension age who need extra help with daily tasks or getting around due to long-term illnesses, disabilities, or mental health conditions. It's not means-tested, so it doesn't depend on your income, and it's tax-free. Plus, it won’t affect your housing benefit or housing cost payments.

What's changing?
The Government is considering a proposal to change the eligibility rules so that only those with higher needs will qualify. The suggestion is to set a minimum score of 4 on at least one of the daily living activities, which would mean fewer people may be eligible.

At the moment, this is just a proposal, and the changes wouldn’t take effect until 2026. If you receive PIP or know someone who does, it's important to keep an eye on updates as things move forward. We understand this might raise questions, and we’re here to help you understand how any changes could affect you.