Many people still fight with the high cost of living, even though inflation has become less severe. Low-income families can get financial help if they are receiving some benefits.
This is what you should know about who can get it, when you might get paid and how payments will be given out.
- Cost of living support payment
- Disability payment
- Winter fuel payment
- Pensioner cost of living payment
- Beware of scams
- Why might you not be eligible for the payment to help with living costs?
- Cost of Living Payment rules and circumstances
- People May Also Ask
- When is the cost of living payment due in the UK in 2023?
- Why is my universal credit payment nothing?
- When does the cost of living payment happen in the UK?
- How much does it cost to live in the UK?
Cost of living support payment
8 million homes that can get help will receive three payments to cover their living costs of £301, £300, and £299.
The first payment came into bank accounts in the spring of 2023. Families started getting the second payment on October 31, 2023. The last £299 payment is due between February 6 and 22, 2024.
Those who are allowed to receive the payment are those on:
- Universal credit
- Pension credit
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Help and support for jobless based on income:
- Income support
- Working tax credit
- Child tax credit
If you can get it, the payment will go out without any effort. It will come to you just like your present benefits – so you do not have to apply or do anything extra for it.
Most people will get their payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). However, those only getting help through tax credits will get it from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) instead.
HMRC will share particular details of when payments will be given to these people.
Disability payment
From June 20 to July 4, 2023, qualified people got a disability payment of £150. This payment was for those who receive any of the following benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
Winter fuel payment
Eligible people will receive these payments in November or December 2023 without needing to do anything. People will get a letter that says how the payment will be sent and which bank account it will go into. This payment is given to those born before September 26, 1956.
Important Links
Pensioner cost of living payment
People who are old or retired can also get an extra £150 or £300 from this payment – which will be sent in automatically to the winter payment for fuel. This is to support older people with paying for heating costs.
The government website has said: “The whole winter fuel payment you can get for winter 2023 to 2024 depends on your birth date and the situations during the qualifying dates. It also includes pensioner cost of living payment.” So make sure to see if you can get help from the government site.
Beware of scams
In 2022, about 40 million people in the UK were fooled by scammers. They tried to trick them into giving payment and private information using fake stories about high living costs.
Last year, Citizens Advice said they had seen many connected scams. This happened as people asked for payment to help with living costs.
These included messages saying they were from Ofgem asking people to give their bank information so they could get the £400 energy help. The best way to avoid these traps is to look for payment on the government’s website.
Why might you not be eligible for the payment to help with living costs?
The government website also says that you will not get the payment for living costs if your help is cut to £0 for the time allowed – this can be called a no-payment award.
The reasons your benefit may be reduced to £0 include:
- Receiving more than one payment amount related to work during your Universal Credit evaluation period.
- Your own or your spouse’s job pay increased.
- You or your partner have saved more payment.
- You started receiving another benefit
- You were punished because you did not follow through on something in your contract agreement.
However, you may still be eligible if your benefit is reduced to £0 and one of the following applies:
- Your benefit money was taken away for other reasons. This includes giving payment to your landlord for rent or paying back the cash you owe.
- You got extra payment help because you could not afford to pay for your home, keeping warm, food and cleanliness needs.
Cost of Living Payment rules and circumstances
Living cost payment rules are set by the people in charge of different situations. You need to know about it and read the rules and conditions carefully. The payment is chosen based on who will get it and if they meet some rules.
We already talked about the rules to qualify in the last part of this article. You need to put the right details in the form, like bank information and clear paper print. Knowing the Terms and Conditions is important because more details often result in better communication and timely payment.
People May Also Ask
When is the cost of living payment due in the UK in 2023?
Eight million families who can get help will receive three support payments for living costs of £301, £300 and £299. The first payment payment came into bank accounts in the spring of 2023, and homes got their second part from October 31, 2023. The last £299 payment is needed between 6 and 22 February of the year 2024.
Why is my universal credit payment nothing?
If your Universal Credit ends because you started making more payment, you can get it again if your income drops. You usually have to make a new claim.
When does the cost of living payment happen in the UK?
If you are entitled, you will get: People usually pay £301 between April 25, 2023 and May 17, 2023. £300 was paid between October 31 and November 19, 2023, for many people. £299 paid by most people between 6th February 2024 and 22nd February 2024.
How much does it cost to live in the UK?
The normal monthly cost of living for a family with four people in the UK is $3,135 (£2,268) but, not including rent. The average cost to live for one person or student in the UK is $900 (£651) every month without paying rent.
