Last week the Government announced that households receiving DWP benefits will receive the second part of the £650 Cost of Living Payment from 8 November and continuing through to the 23 November.
Over eight million families have already received the first Cost of Living Payment, worth £326, which was sent out from 14 July this year.
The second payment of £324 will automatically be paid into the bank accounts of those eligible in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive a qualifying benefit, meaning they will not need to do anything to receive the money.
The DWP will pay a small number of payments on 8 November, with numbers increasing significantly from 9 November. Even if you are not on a qualifying DWP benefit you may still be eligible for the £324 payment as HMRC are also making payments to only those who receive tax credits and no other eligible benefits. These will be paid shortly after DWP payments and customers do not need to contact the Government or apply for the payment at any stage.
The £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment was provided in September, with a £300 additional pensioner payment to come in the Winter.
Pensioners
For a pensioner to qualify for this, they must have been entitled to a payment of Pension Credit on or before the qualifying date of 25 September 2022.
It is not too late to claim Pension Credit. It is possible to backdate the claim for a maximum of three months, which means a person will still qualify for the second Cost of Living Payment.
The last date for those who can successfully backdate their claim is 19 December, though we urge people to get their applications in as soon as possible.
People do not have to do anything extra to backdate their claim. If they make their application online, they will automatically be asked about backdating, and if they make their application over the phone the adviser will talk them through this.
People can check their eligibility for Pension Credit using the online calculator or call 0800 99 1234.