April 25 will mark the start of this year's Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) cost of living payments, which are worth a total of £900 for those eligible to receive them.
Last month, the DWP announced that the first of three cost of living payments, totalling £900, will be paid from April 25 to May 17 for those on means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, with the other two due later this year and early next.
Around 395,000 eligible people in the North East should receive the money, with the the three-week window the first date range announced by the DWP so far. A spokesperson said that he was unable to narrow down the exact payment dates within the three-week window but confirmed that the two previous payments of £326 and £324 last year were mostly made within the first week and a half after the first possible date.
Read more: Universal Credit: What the announcements in the Budget mean for you if you claim benefits
There will also be a separate £150 for over 6m disabled people nationwide and £300 for another 8m pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments to help them meet their energy bills coming later this year.
More than 8m people in the UK received the £650 cost of living payment last year, but this year the payment has been increased to £900 and will be split into three payments of £301, £300 and £299. The Government has refused to release exact dates when the second and third payments will hit people's bank accounts, but as it has already stated that payments will all be made in the 2023/2024 financial year, the last sum should be paid before April 5, 2024.
According to the DWP, which first announced its plan to issue the £900 on January 3, The £301 payment will be sent out automatically and directly to recipients, meaning those eligible do not need to apply or do anything to receive it. The payment reference for bank accounts will be DWP COLP, along with the claimant’s National Insurance number. The payments won't affect the benefit amount you usually get or contribute to the benefit cap.
Here's what we know about the payment dates so far:
April
The first of three cost of living payments will be made between April 25 and May 17. Millions of UK households will receive the £301 into your bank accounts automatically if you were receiving any of the benefits below between January 26 and February 25 this year. The amount of benefits you received does not matter - even if you only received £1, you will receive this payment.
The full list of benefits that qualify people for the payment is:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension credit
May
Like last year, those claiming Tax Credits will receive their cost of living payment slightly later than those claiming Universal Credit or other means-tested benefit. Households receiving Tax Credits will receive their first payment from May 2 up to May 9, according to The Sun. The payment will be made automatically by HMRC to those households who received a payment of Tax Credits between January 26 to February 25, 2023.
Summer
There have been no specific dates announced for the £150 disability cost of living payment for eligible people, other than the Summer. This is earlier than last year's payment, which was made in September and October. The benefits that entitle you to this cost of living payments are below, and the DWP has said it will announce payment dates and eligibility periods nearer the time:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
Autumn
Autumn is when the second cost of living payment will be paid. This time it will be £300, and like the Spring payment, those claiming Tax Credits will be paid a couple of weeks later to avoid duplication. Both HMRC and the DWP will announced the dates when you need to have been receiving benefits to qualify and the payments dates nearer the time.
Winter
A £300 pensioner cost of living payment will be made again during the winter as a top-up to the Winter Fuel Payments. So If you were entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for Winter 2023 to 2024, you will get the extra cash paid with your normal payment. The full amount of Winter Fuel Payment - including the pensioner cost of living payment - you will get for winter 2023 to 2024 depends on when you were born and your circumstances during the qualifying dates, but you should qualify if you were born before September 24, 1957.
Last year, most pensioners got the the money in November or December. A letter will be sent to you telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you'll get if you're eligible nearer the time.
Spring 2024
The third and final instalment of the cost of living payment will be made in Spring 2024 and this time it will be worth £299. Details of payments dates are sketchy, but as the Government has announced the payments will all be made in the the 2023/24 tax year, the payments should be made before April 5, 2024.
Last year, there were two cost of living payments, totalling £650, made up of one payment of £326 paid to those claiming Universal Credit between July 14-31 and a second of £324 between November 8-21, with those claiming Tax Credits made slightly later. The DWP is also encouraging low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit to check their eligibility, as they can still qualify for the £301 Cost of Living Payment if they make a successful backdated Pension Credit application by May 19.
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