More than 200,000 households in Merseyside are due a direct payment of more than £300 to help with the cost of living.
The money is the first of three instalments that make up the £900 cost of living payment from the government.
If you’re eligible, the cash should hit your bank account between April 25 and May 17.
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In order to receive the money, you must be claiming one of the following means-tested benefits during the qualifying period.
The benefits are
Universal Credit
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income Support
Pension Credit
You need to have been entitled to a payment, or later found to have been entitled, between January 26 and February 25, to receive the money. For those claiming Universal Credit this counts as the qualifying assessment period.
Low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit can still qualify if they backdate a Pension Credit application by May 19.
Those who receive just Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit from HMRC - so are not entitled to any Department for Work and Pension benefits - are also eligible for the £301.
However, HMRC will pay this first instalment at a later date, which has yet to be confirmed.
Dates for the second and third instalment of the £900 cost of living payments - set to be worth £300 and £299 - have also yet to be announced.
The second payment is due to be sent in summer 2023, while the third payment will be sent in spring 2024. All the cost of living payments will be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.
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