The highest proportion of families to benefit from the Government’s one-off £650 cost-of-living payment are in London, according to a new breakdown of the financial support by region.
More than eight million households on benefits across the UK will see the first instalment, of £326, hit their bank accounts from July 14 to help with soaring costs, with the rest to follow in the autumn.
Some 1.2 million of those families live in the capital, representing the highest proportion at 15%, data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed.
The actions ... will boost the budgets of millions of stretched families— Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey
Around 13% – or 1 million families – are in the North West.
This is followed by the South East (846,000), West Midlands (792,000), Yorkshire and The Humber (722,000), Scotland (689,000), Eastern regions (627,000), the South West (580,000), East Midlands (551,000), Wales (426,000) and the North East (397,000).
The fewest household eligible for the means-tested cost-of-living payment – a proportion of 4% (309,000) – are in Northern Ireland.
More than six million people on certain disability benefits are set to receive an additional £150 payment in September.
The highest proportion of eligible individuals are in the North West, at 13% (820,000), followed by the South East (681,000), London (608,000), Scotland (607,000), West Midlands (566,000), Yorkshire and The Humber (535,000), Eastern areas (498,000), the South West (491,000), East Midlands (451,000), Wales (407,000) and the North East (325,000).
The fewest people set to benefit from the disability top-up live in Northern Ireland (315,000).
Nearly one in four families will receive the £650 cash payment, while almost one in 10 of the population will get the £150 disability top-up, the DWP said.
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey on Wednesday opened the second reading debate on the Social Security (Additional Payments) Bill, which will make provision for the payments.
“The actions that are from this Bill will boost the budgets of millions of stretched families in every part of the United Kingdom, helping them through the cost-of-living challenge,” she told MPs.
“We are providing a direct cost-of-living payment of £650 to over eight million families who already get help through means-tested benefits, which we will split into two payments of £326 and £324.
“This includes people on universal credit, income-based jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, income support, working tax credit, child tax credit and pension credit, both guarantee and savings credit recipients.
“On top of this we are providing further help for approximately six million people with disabilities on qualifying benefits, with a £150 payment, and over eight million pensioner households with an additional £300 alongside their winter fuel payment.
“Combined together, that is extra support of at least £1,200 this year for the majority of households least able to absorb rising costs, and takes our total support package to £37 billion.”
