More than 300,000 households in Northern Ireland are due to receive their first Cost of Living Payment in the coming weeks.
The Department of Work and Pensions has announced that the first £301 Cost of Living Payment is due to be paid between April 25, 2023 and May 17, 2023 for those on certain means tested benefits.
In Northern Ireland 313,900 households will be eligible for the payment with more than £94million being provided in total for the first one.
Read more: Five DWP Cost of Living payments NI households could be entitled to
Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “These payments will give a financial boost to more than eight million households as we continue to wrap our arms around the most vulnerable, while the best way we can protect people from high costs is to halve inflation by the end of this year.”
An online map has been developed showing the numbers of households that will be eligible for the payment in each council area.
The Belfast area has the highest numbers of households that are eligible with 80,000 set to receive the payment, which will see more than £24 million provided.
The Lisburn and Castlereagh area has the lowest with 17,200 households set to receive th payment.
In total, more than £2.4billion is being given t families across the UK, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, said: “Not only are we providing £900 in direct cash payments to millions of the most vulnerable households, we’ve also extended the energy price guarantee to hold bills down until energy prices fall, raised the national living wage to £10.42, put an end to the prepayment meter premium and delivered a plan that will more than halve inflation this year – ensuring everyone’s incomes go further.”
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