The DWP has said it will be informing benefit claimants ahead of the Cost of Living Payments that are set to be made from Spring. A £900 payment will be paid to those on means-tested benefits in three instalments this year, with the first £301 payment taking place this Spring, although the DWP is yet to announce the dates of when this will take place.
In order to plan ahead with their finances, claimants have been wanting to know when the specific date of these payments will be. The Department for Work and Pensions said that they will be informed prior to the payments taking place, reports Belfast Live.
A DWP spokesperson said: “We will confirm the exact payment window for the £301 Cost of Living Payment ahead of payments beginning.”
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Millions of people will be eligible to receive the payment, including those on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and tax credits, which starts in Spring and will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the course of the financial year.
There will also be a separate £150 for 340,000 people receiving disability benefits and £300 for pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments. Last week, MPs approved the Social Security (Additional Payments) (No.2) Bill at second reading and it will now undergo further scrutiny at a later date.
It also confirms the cost of living payments will have the “same set of qualifying benefits as previously” and, as before, some households will qualify for more than one type of payment.
It adds that most payments will be made automatically, without the need to make a claim and all payments will again be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will have no impact on existing benefit awards. The Government has announced when further Cost of Living Payments will be made between spring 2023 and spring 2024. These payments are:
- £301 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid during spring 2023
- £150 for people on an eligible disability benefit, to be paid during summer 2023
- £300 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid during autumn 2023
- £300 for pensioner households, to be paid during winter 2023 to 2024
- £299 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid in spring 2024
Further guidance will be published when more details have been announced, including the qualifying dates.
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