Almost one in four families across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland will get £326 sent directly to their bank accounts from this week, with the second instalment of £324 due to be sent later this year as part of the UK Government’s £37 billion support package to help households through the cost of living crisis.
The £326 payment is part of the means-tested £650 cost of living payment, delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). A date for the second instalment has not yet been announced but will be made in the autumn, with separate payments for pensioners (£300) and disabled people (£150) also coming later this year.
People claiming Working Tax Credits or Child Tax Credits along with one of the DWP qualifying benefits will also receive the crucial cash support from today. For those who only receive either of those income top-ups from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), this will not be paid this month, but instead in the autumn.
