As we enter the Easter holidays, it can be helpful to know when your family will receive benefits, cost of living or pension payments over the coming weeks. Due to the Easter bank holidays, some benefits payment dates have been moved forward, meaning recipients may receive money earlier than expected.
Hull Live have put together a handy guide to all the DWP and cost of living payments in April 2023. It comes as the Government pledges to provide further support to vulnerable people via the latest Budget measures.
Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, said he would provide support packages worth £94bn to help struggling families. These measures also include extending the Energy Price Guarantee until June.
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The guarantee is likely to save the average household around £160 in total over the next three months. From this month, the Government is due begin offering additional support to eight million low income and vulnerable households, who will receive "at least £900" in cash payments over the next year.
The Government also announced a rise in benefits and pensions by over 10 per cent, while the National Living Wage (the minimum wage) is due to increase to £10.42 an hour.
Changes to benefit payment dates
There are two bank holidays in April that will affect the payment date of any benefits. Good Friday is on April 7, while Easter Monday is on April 10. For those due to receive a benefit payment on either of these dates, the DWP will instead pay it early on April 6. However, if you were not due a payment on either of these dates, your benefits will be paid as normal.
Energy Price Guarantee
In his spring budget Jeremy Hunt confirmed that the energy price guarantee (EPG) would be extended for a further three months. Under the EPG, a typical household’s energy payments are capped at £2,500.
However, the Energy Bill Support Scheme, which paid households a total of £400 over winter, expired at the end of March, with the last £67 instalment being paid into bank accounts. The Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payment schemes also came to an end.
Cost of Living payments
If you receive means-tested benefits you should soon expect the first instalment of the Cost of Living Payment, worth up to £900 in total. It is broken down into three payments, worth £301, £300, and £299. To be eligible for Cost of Living payments, you must receive one of the following:
Universal Credit
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Pension Credit
The first payment will be handed out during the spring period, the Government has confirmed, though an exact date has yet to be announced.
£150 disability cost of living payment
Those who claim for disability benefits may be eligible for some extra money in the summer, although the exact date has not been confirmed yet. The qualifying benefits for this payments are:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Attendance Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance
Armed Force Independence Payment
War Pension Mobility Supplement
£300 pensioner Cost of Living payment
People who receive the Winter Fuel Payment for 2023/24 are automatically eligible for an extra payment worth up to £300. This Pensioner Cost of Living Payment will be topped up onto the usual Winter Payment in November 2023.
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