The DWP has further clarified who will be eligible for the first £301 cost of living payment. The money, part of a £900 package of support, is to be given to those on certain benefits to help with the rising cost of living.
It was recently announced after much anticipation that the first payment is to be made between April 25 and May 17. The money will be paid directly into the bank accounts of those eligible.
The Government is keen to stress that people do not need to apply for the payment. The DWP will never ask people for their personal information over text or email.
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Cost of living payment eligibility criteria
You may be entitled to the cost of living payment if you are in receipt of one of the following benefits
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support
Pension Credit
Universal Credit
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit
Those on Universal Credit will be eligible for the cost of living payment as long as they were entitled to, or later found to be entitled to payment in the qualifying period between January 26 and February 25. You will not be eligible for the payment if your benefit is reduced to £0 for the qualifying period.
JSA, ESA, income support and pension credit
If you are eligible for income-based job seeker’s allowance, income-based employment support allowance, income support or pension credit, then you will be entitled to the first cost of living payment if you were entitled to the above benefits during a qualifying period between January 26 and February 25.
You are also eligible for the cost of living payment if you were entitled to one of these benefits during the qualifying period but you do not receive a benefit payment because your entitlement is between one penny and nine pence.
Tax credits
You are eligible for the first Cost of Living Payment of £301 if you received a payment of tax credits for any day in the period 26 January 2023 to 25 February 2023, or you are later found to have been entitled to a payment for this period.
When will the cost of living payment be made?
The cost of living payment is to be paid to most people on DWP and low-income benefits between April 25 and May 17. The Government also says that most people on tax credits and no other low-income benefits will be paid between May 2 and May 9.
If you’re getting both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, you will receive a Cost of Living Payment for the Child Tax Credit only, which will be paid by HMRC. If you’re getting tax credits from HMRC and a low-income benefit from DWP, you cannot get a Cost of Living Payment from both HMRC and DWP.
When will the other cost of living payments be made?
There will be four other cost-of-living payments to come for those on certain benefits.
£300 paid during autumn 2023 for most people
£299 paid during spring 2024 for most people
£150 paid to those on disability benefits during summer 2023
£300 paid to pensioners as part of their winter fuel allowance from November 2023
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