THREE major deadlines are coming up before Christmas which could open up payments worth hundreds of pounds.

The cost of living remains high with energy bills rising for millions of UK households at the start of this month.

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Luckily, there is help at hand, including the Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount and Christmas Bonus.

But there are some crucial deadlines you need to be aware of if you want to snap up the payments worth potentially £460.

One is coming within weeks too so you should act as soon as possible.

November 10 – deadline to backdate Pension Credit to get the Warm Homes Discount

The Warm Homes Discount (WHD) is a discount on your energy bills worth £150 each winter.

The money is not paid to you but is a one-off deduction applied between October and March.

In most cases, it is made automatically although households in Scotland have to apply.

To qualify for the help, you need to have been in receipt of the guaranteed credit element of Pension Credit or a different qualifying benefit from the list below on August 11:

If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 11, 2024, you won’t be eligible for the WHD this year.

However, the same August date does not apply if you are receiving the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit.

This is because you can backdate a Pension Credit claim by up to three months while the other benefits in the list above can only be backdated by up to one month.

That means you have until the end of Sunday, November 10 to launch a claim and get the £150 rebate.

Pension Credit is a benefit that tops up your weekly income to a minimum amount if you are on a low income and of state pension age, currently 66.

There are two parts to the benefit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.

Savings Credit is extra money you get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic full state pension amount – £169.50.

December 2 – deadline for Christmas Bonus

The Christmas bonus is a tax-free £10 payment made once per year to cover some of the additional costs associated with Christmas.

The payment is made by the DWP before December 25 and can come in handy.

However, the £10 payment is only made to those in receipt of certain qualifying benefits. The full list of benefits is:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer Support Payment
• Child Disability Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• Pension Credit – the guarantee element
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under
• Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

You will need to have been receiving one of the above benefits in the qualifying week to receive the £10 payment.

This year, that week is the first full week of December, which starts on December 2, so you will need to claim one of the above benefits by this date to qualify for the £10 Christmas Bonus.

If you want to find out if you qualify for one of the above benefits, you can use a number of free calculators.

The three main online calculators you can use are:

December 21 – deadline for backdated Pension Credit to get the Winter Fuel Payment

The Government has made the Winter Fuel Payment means-tested which means only those on certain benefits qualify for the up to £300 payment this year.

Rather than it being open to anyone of state pension age, you now only receive it if you were receiving Pension Credit or one of the below benefits by September 22:

However, again, you can backdate your Pension Credit claim by up to three months meaning you still have time to qualify for this year’s Winter Fuel Payment.

That means the ultimate deadline to qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment is December 21, not September 22.

The Winter Fuel Payment, which is usually paid by Christmas, is worth up to £300 depending on your circumstances.

If you were born before September 23, 1944, you will get £300 while those born between September 23, 1944, and September 22, 1958, will receive £200.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

A MARTIN Lewis fan has shared how she managed to get a refund of £1,000 thanks to a handy MoneySavingExpert tip.

The MoneySavingExpert (MSE) reader got the cash boost by asking her supplier to repay what she owed in energy credit.

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If you pay for your energy by direct debit, most firms take the annual cost of your bill and divide it by 12 which means some parts of the year you are in credit and others debt.

But because the monthly payments are estimated, it can mean you end up being in too much credit at certain times of the year.

You can ask for it to be repaid though, meaning you could get a giant lump sum back.

Martin Lewis’ MSE previously said the best time to ask for credit back is around May, when your energy debt is likely to have stopped rising after the colder months.

Some people choose to leave a bit of credit in their account in the run up to the winter months, when you spend more, but some prefer to have the cash.

In the latest MSE newsletter, a reader called Diane shared how she used the tip to claw back £1,000.

She said: “Thanks to you I checked and discovered I was £1,000 in credit with EDF.

“I am now looking forward to a cheeky little holiday, which I wouldn’t normally have been able to afford. Happy days, thank you again.”

How to ask your supplier for credit back

You will first want to make sure your energy firm has the most up-to-date meter reading for you.

If you’ve got a smart meter, this will likely be sending regular readings to your firm so you won’t have to take a meter reading.

If your meter readings are up-to-date and if you have been in credit for more than one month, ask your energy firm to reimburse you.

Each energy supplier has its own process for issuing customers with credit refunds.

For example, British Gas says it will issue you a refund if you have been billed in the last 14 days and you are not switching to another firm.

If these apply, it refunds you your credit balance within 10 working days.

Octopus Energy says if you’ve got more credit on your account than you need, you can request any excess back.

But you need to have had an energy bill based on real meter readings in the 14 days before requesting a refund.

How to challenge an unfair direct debit

If you pay your energy bill by direct debit, then it is assumed that this monthly amount should be “fair and reasonable”.

If you don’t think it is, you can complain directly to your supplier in the first instance.

If you’re not happy with the outcome you can take it to the independent Energy Ombudsman to dispute, but there are a few steps before you get to that stage.

Your supplier must clearly explain why it’s chosen that amount for your direct debit.

If you’ve got credit on your account, you have every right to get it back – although some experts recommend keeping it there through the summer, so your bills don’t go up in the winter when you use more energy.

Your supplier must refund you or explain exactly why not otherwise the regulator, Ofgem, can fine suppliers if they don’t.

If you are disputing a bill, taking a meter reading is a must.

If it’s lower than your estimate, you can ask your provider to lower your monthly direct debit to a more suitable amount.

But beware so you don’t end up in debt later on with a bigger catch-up bill at the end of the year from underpayments racking up.

If you don’t have success in negotiating a lower payment then you can put in a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

But unfortunately, the lottery is a game of luck and there are no tips or tricks that can guarantee you’ll take home a top prize.

The odds show how likely you are to win any particular prize – the lower the number, the better the odds.

For example, odds of 1 in 10 are better than odds of 1 in 100 or 1 in 1,000.

There are several major lottery games in the UK including Lotto by the National Lottery, Camelot’s EuroMillions and Thunderball.

Chances of winning the Lotto

Lotto by the National Lottery is a game where you pick six numbers from 1 to 59. You can play up to seven lines of numbers on each slip.

The game costs £2 to play per slip.

The odds of winning any prize on the Lotto are 1 in 9.3.

But to win the jackpot on the Lotto, the odds are considerably slimmer.

To bag the top prize, you need to have six matching balls. The odds of doing this and scooping the jackpot are currently 1 in 45,057,474.

The next highest prize of £1,000,000 is for getting five main matching balls plus the bonus ball.

The odds of taking home the million pound prize are 1 in 7,509,579 – far higher than the jackpot, but still unlikely.

The odds of taking home £1,750 for getting five main numbers without the bonus ball are 1 in 2,180, while you have a 1 in 97 chance of bagging £140 for getting four main numbers.

Your chances of taking home £30 for getting 3 main numbers are much better at 1 in 97.

And you have a roughly 1 in 10 chance of getting a free lucky dip for 2 matching numbers.

Chances of winning the EuroMillions

The EuroMillions costs £2.50 to play and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

To play, you must pick five numbers from 1-50 and two “Lucky Stars” from 1-12. Players with the most matching numbers win the top prizes.

Your chance of bagging the EuroMillions jackpot is even slimmer than winning the top Lotto prize.

This is because it generally has higher jackpots on offer, meaning it attracts more attention.

Currently, the odds of matching five numbers and two lucky stars – the top win – stand at 1 in 139,838,160.

The average jackpot prize is £57,923,499, according to EuroMillions.

The odds of winning the second top prize for matching 5 balls and a lucky star, which is typically around £262,346, are 1 in 6,991,908.

The chances of taking home the third prize for five matching balls, with an average payout of £26,277, are 1 in 3,107,515.

For four matching balls with two lucky stars, it’s 1 in 621,503, and for four balls with one lucky star, it’s 1 in 31,076. These come with an average prize of £1,489 and £95, respectively.

Chances of winning the Thunderball

Thunderball is another game run by National Lottery where you pick five numbers and one “Thunderball”. It costs just £1 to play and you can enter up to four times a week.

The jackpot of £500,000 for matching five balls plus the Thunderball is 1 in 8,060,598.

Your odds of bagging the next highest prize of £5,000 for matching five balls is currently 1 in 620,046, while the chances of winning £250 for four balls plus the Thunderball is 1 in 47,416.

You have the best chance of winning £3 for matching the Thunderball, with odds of 1 in 29.

A HUGE outdoor retailer has announced it will close one of its stores within days.

Decathlon is set to shut the doors on its shop in Forge Retail Park in Telford, Shropshire, on November 3.

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The French sporting goods retailer has operated at the shopping centre since 2018.

The closure is said to be part of a “brand refresh” and a “broader review” of its store network.

Decathlon told customers they can use vouchers at its Wednesbury store until the end of the year.

The company also said that staff members were being supported to continue working at the company “where possible”.

Michael McHale, Regional Leader at Decathlon UK said: “We’re saddened to be closing our Telford store, which has served the local community for over six years.

“However, we’re excited to continue supporting our loyal customers by welcoming them to our Wednesbury location, just a short drive away.

“At Decathlon, we remain committed to bringing the wonders of sport to life and providing the same great products, services, and experiences that our customers have come to love.”

Local residents have been left disappointed at the news that their area is losing its Decathlon store.

One wrote on Facebook: “Great shop – sad to see it closing.”

Another said: “Sad. Great store. Useful to have on our doorstep.”

A third claimed: “All thanks to the blumming shoplifters!”

It comes as closures have rocked high streets across the UK in recent years.

Some retailers have closed a few branches here and there for various reasons, like when a store lease has come to an end.

Other examples of one-off rather than widespread closures is if there are changes in the area, like a shopping centre closing, and in some cases a shop will close to relocate to another area.

Some chains have faced tougher conditions though, forcing them to shut dozens of stores, or all of them in the worst case.

Elsewhere, a much-loved tea room is being forced to close having been in business for 34 “happy and successful” years.

The family-run Two Hoots Tea Room is situated in one of Wales’ most-visited tourist spots and they say they are devastated after they were ordered to pull down the shutters for good.

Meanwhile, customers were left devastated after a family-run clothing shop was forced to close after 144 years.

Dancers is run by the fourth and fifth generation of the Dancer family, but the rise in online shopping meant they had to let it go.

And, closures are affecting various industries across different sectors as a historic city brewery, with a legacy spanning 150 years, is also set to close.

The Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has confirmed plans to close Wolverhampton’s Banks’s Brewery.

M&S has brought back an iconic retro crisps flavour two years after they disappeared from shelves.

The major retailer confirmed it has both listened and answered the prayers of its fans.

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That’s right, M&S’s Prawn Cocktail Shells are back.

M&S insists the tasty snacks are made from the finest ingredients with a “top secret” exclusive spice blend.

If you’re a fan of Skips, the prawn cocktail crisps, chances are you’ll like these too.

According to Ocado, the six pack of Prawn Cocktail Shells are selling for £2.

They’re also suitable for vegeterians.

And the fun doesn’t stop there.

M&S also announced three-brand-new tortilla sharing bags will too be hitting shelves.

Each tortilla bag has been inspired by a classic Mexican dish.

Such as Tomatillo & Jalapeno Pepper and Lime & Coriander, and Feta & Pink Peppercorn Chickpea & Red Quinoa Tortillas.

Be warned, M&S say “these are nacho average sharing bags… you will NOT want to share.”

On October 16, an M&S representative shared the reveal of the tortilla flavours on Facebook.

One person commented on the post: “Yum! These sound delicious!”

According to Ocado, the tortilla packs are selling for £1.35.

Since we’re on the topic of surprises, M&S has one more to share.

It’s three totally new peanut snack packs, bursting with flavour, seasoned and not salted.

The flavours include Katsu Chicken Curry flavour, Smoky Chorizo flavour, and a Spicy Buffalo Wing flavour.

According to Ocado, the new peanut snack packs are selling for just £1.50.

To find your nearest M&S store visit their website and click Find your nearest store.

Put your postcode, or town or street name in and a list of local stores should come up.

It is also recommended to check in store and online product availability.

A MAJOR credit card company has been inundated with calls from customers after mystery payments appeared on their accounts.

Customers of American Express said that since Sunday they have been unable to get through to its customer service helpline to query the payments.

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American Express has millions of customers in the UK.

Others have said that they have been unable to resolve the issue by using the company’s live chat and have been told to call its helpline.

Many are unable to use credit cards which have been frozen.

Customers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain about the tech issue and hundreds of comments have also appeared on Reddit.

One American Express user said: “I’ve been on hold for a call with your fraud alert team for close to two hours following a report of a rejected suspicious payment and 3 small (<£5 total with British Dressage?) pending payments that have appeared on my account.”

Another said: “after waiting 1 hr and 25 minutes to speak to you about fraud, you cut me off!

“As a good card holder I am not happy about this at all!”

The American firm replied to customers on social media and said that its team is “experiencing a high volume of inquiries and is actively looking into the issue”.

Among those affected by the issue is father-of-one Terry Pierce, 37.

The strategy director from Woodford, East London, was travelling to Manchester for work when he began to receive texts asking him to approve transactions he had not made.

Four payments totalling £18.92 were taken from his British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card to Airalo Singapore, a data roaming company.

A further two charges also appeared on his account as “pending”.

When Terry tried to contact American Express he was left on hold for four hours while watching new payments appear on his account.

Eventually he was forced to hang up so he could continue working.

Terry tried to use the live chat feature in the company’s app but it simply told him to call the customer service helpline.

He said: “We all have busy lives and it’s just been so much additional stress.

“My card is frozen so I can’t use it. I have no idea of the source of these transactions or if I’ll be refunded.”

In the meantime, Terry has been forced to use his current account to pay for items, which has left him unable to collect rewards on his card.

This was one of the main reasons why he first applied for the card, which has a £300 annual fee.

Despite being an American Express customer for more than three years Terry is now considering changing credit card provider when he comes to renew later this month.

“This is my first time having an issue with my credit card and it has made me question American Express, which is known for its customer service,” he said.

We asked Amex about its helpline issues and whether it was aware of a bigger issue.

A spokesperson from Amex said: “The privacy and security of our customers is a priority for American Express.

“We have sophisticated monitoring systems and internal safeguards in place to help detect fraudulent and suspicious activity. If we identify unusual activity that may be fraud, we will take protective actions.

“We also recommend customers regularly review and monitor their account activity, and immediately contact us (using the number on the back of their Card) if they detect any suspicious activity.

“Our specialist Fraud Team thoroughly investigates all fraud claims and American Express Cardmembers are not liable for this kind of unauthorised charge on their accounts.”

It’s understood that Amex has added extra resource to its call centre to bring call wait times down.

How to report credit card fraud

If you think your credit card or personal information has been compromised then contact your bank immediately.

Ring the number on the back of your plastic card and explain what has happened.

You should also be able to find your provider’s customer service number in its banking app.

Your provider will be able to freeze your card so no further payments are made.

Usually you will be reimbursed for any charges that you did not make if you report the fraud quickly.

Keep a record of the fraudulent activity such as payments in your banking app and texts asking you to authorise transactions by taking a screenshot.

You can also report the crime to Action Fraud by using its online tool or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories