Nearly 400,000 North East families expecting to receive their first cost of living payment of 2023 are due to find out the payment dates soon, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed.
The DWP has said that 395,000 households in the region are due to get the first of three DWP payments totalling £900 for means-tested benefits claimants as part of the Government’s cost of living support package. More than 8m people in the UK received the £650 cost of living payment last year, but this year the payment has been increased to £900 and will be split into three payments of £301, £300 and £299.
The Government has refused to release exact dates when the payments will hit people's bank accounts, but has indicated that the date of the first payment will be announced soon. As it has already stated that payments will all be made in the 2023/2024 financial year, the first sum will not be paid until after April 6.
Read more: Universal Credit: What the announcements in the Budget mean for you if you claim benefits
The only dates released so far are Spring 2023, Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024. Last year's payments to those claiming Universal Credit were made between July 14-31 and between November 8-21, with those claiming Tax Credits made slightly later. The DWP has indicated that the payments to those claiming Tax Credits will also be made slightly later this time.
The first payment, of £301, will be sent out automatically, meaning those eligible do not need to apply or do anything to receive it. The payment reference for bank accounts will be DWP COLP, along with the claimant’s National Insurance number.
The amount of people eligible to receive the payment broken down by local authority is:
County Durham: 76,700
Gateshead: 30,300
Newcastle: 44,000
North Tyneside: 26,900
Northumberland: 36,800
South Tyneside: 25,800
Sunderland: 47,300
In the south of the region, the numbers eligible are:
Darlington: 15,100
Hartlepool: 17,800
Middlesbrough: 27,400
Redcar and Cleveland: 21,500
Stockton-on-Tees: 27,100
The full list of benefit recipients that qualify for the upcoming payment are those who receive:
- Universal Credit;
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance;
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance;
More than eight million people are due to receive the first payment of £301 this Spring (PA) - Income Support;
- Working Tax Credit;
- Child Tax Credit;
- Pension Credit
Those who are eligible for the £301 Cost of Living Payment solely through Tax Credits will be paid by HMRC shortly after DWP payments begin. HMRC will publish details of when payments will be made to these customers along with the bank account payment reference.
There will also be further payments worth £150 for eligible disabled people and £300 for pensioners due later this year, meaning the most vulnerable can receive up to £1,350 in direct payments.
Read more:
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- All the big money changes to look out for in 2023 month by month
- DWP Universal Credit claimants hit as sanctions rise by 250% amid claims they are 'back with a vengeance'
