Millions of benefit claimants in the UK will start getting the first cost of living payment from today.
From April 25 until May 17, around eight million people who claim certain benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will receive a payment worth £301.
This is the first instalment of the overall £900 payment people will receive over the next year.
The second and third payments of £299 and £300 will be paid later this year and in early 2024.
One misconception about the support payments is that it is paid to all benefit claimants.
However, this is not true, and it will only be paid to a specific group of claimants.
According to DWP guidance, people claiming means tested benefits - where your income is taken into account - will get the money.
If you claim other benefits, such as contributions-based ones, you will not be receiving the money.
This means if you only claim one of these benefits, you will not be getting the cost of living payment tomorrow:
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Child Benefit
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Contributory or New style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Guardian's Allowance
- Contribution-based or New style Jobseeker's Allowance
- Maternity Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State pension
Those who will get the cost of living cash tomorrow need to claim one of the following:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit households are also eligible for the £301 but HMRC will send the payments out between May 2 and May 9.
This applies if you only claim a benefit from HMRC - if you claim Tax Credits and another benefit from the DWP, then you'll receive the money between April 25 and May 17 as normal.
You should be aware that if you do claim one means-tested benefit alongside a contribution-based one, then you will get the cost of living payment.
So if you get PIP but you also claim Universal Credit alongside it then you will get the money.
If you claim only contribution-based benefits, so only claim PIP, then you will not.
For the first payment, you need to have been entitled to the benefit between January 26 and February 25, or received a payment for an assessment period between these dates.
If you are later found to be entitled to one of the eligible benefits for this period of time then you could also get the cost of living payment but at a later date.
For example, low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit can still qualify for the £301 if they make a successful backdated claim by May 19.
