Most of the 400,000 North East families expecting their first cost of living payment before May 17 should have received it by the end of today, Wednesday, May 3.
The Department of Work and Pensions has announced that 99% of the people expecting the £301 will have been paid within a week of the start date on April 25, with just a tiny few having to wait until May 17 at the latest to get their money.
The £301 payment, the first of three which make up the £900 DWP support package announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt during November’s Autumn Statement, was due to be paid to Universal Credit claimants from Tuesday, April 25 until May 17, and the DWP initially moved to manage expectations by announcing only around 20% of people would receive the money on the first day.
Last year, more than 8m in the UK received the £650 cost of living payment, and many concerned people took to social media when they did not receive their payment on the first day due. This time round, the full window for payments was April 25 to May 17, although the expectation is that most payments should be processed well in advance of May 17. A spokesperson said at the time that "the vast, vast majority" of all those eligible should receive it before May 5 and now the DWP has confirmed that more than 7m will have received their money within the first eight days of the 23-day window.
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A DWP spokesperson said: "More than seven million payments will have been made by the end of today, May 3. The small number of payments outstanding will continue to be made between now and May 17, and anyone eligible still waiting for a payment does not need to contact the DWP before then. After this date, if someone thinks they may be missing a payment they are entitled to, a form can be filled out on the gov.uk website to make a claim."
Families in receipt of Tax Credits and other eligible legacy benefits will get their money from today, a week later than those on means-tested benefits to avoid duplicate payments if families are transferring to Universal Credit.. The Government has not released exact dates when the second and third payments will hit people's bank accounts this year, just Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024. 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.
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.
The payment reference for bank accounts will be DWP COLP, along with the claimant’s National Insurance number. In a small minority of complex circumstances, some people may be paid after May 17 – for example, if they were deemed unable to claim certain benefits, but won backdated entitlement on appeal, or where payments were rejected due to invalid account details. The DWP says it will seek to contact claimants directly where there are issues or delays.
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: "“This latest additional payment will be welcomed by millions of families – as will further payments due over the next year. We have continually supported those most vulnerable to rising costs, including through record benefits and national living wage increases as well as these exceptional cost of living payments responding to the global pressures we are facing. We will also continue to deliver on our five priorities, including halving inflation, as this will ease pressure on households currently struggling with household bills and rising prices.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: "The best thing we can do to help people’s money go further is deliver on our priorities to halve inflation and grow the economy. But we’re also here to help people through these tough times, which is why we’re holding down energy bills, freezing fuel duty, increasing Universal Credit, and giving £900 payments to low income and vulnerable families - all in part funded through windfall taxes on energy profits.”
To be eligible for the payment, you need to have been entitled to a payment for one of these benefits between 26 January and 25 February 2023, or payment for an assessment period ending between these dates:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
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