DWP says more than half of £301 cost of living payments have been made so far - here's when you should get it by

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that more than half of the first wave of Cost of Living payments for the year have been made so far.

New data from the government department states that 4.8 million payments have been processed by the DWP as of today (April 27). It is understood that just over 8 million people will receive the first set of support payments which are intended to help the most vulnerable households tackle the cost of living crisis.

However, the government has highlighted that some automated payments may fail, resulting in those expecting their payments not actually receiving it. There are many reasons why you may not have received your payment yet, however, it's important to note that the deadline for DWP cost of living payments is Wednesday, May 17, so you may need to hold on a while longer for yours.

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Meanwhile, those who solely claim Tax Credits will receive their cost of living payment from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between May 2 and May 9. Therefore, it's advised you wait until the deadline before taking any action.

If by that point you still haven't received a Cost of Living payment then you should contact the relevant department that will issue your payment. The government highlighted that both the DWP and HMRC "have robust processes in place to ensure that all eligible claimants will receive their payments, with manual workarounds in place if necessary."

It's important to remember while waiting on the payment that it will be paid automatically; the DWP has previously warned that any email, text, or call asking for your personal details in order to receive the payment is a scam. If you have received one of these emails you should report it to report@phishing.gov.uk - for text messages, forward it to 7726 for free.

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