For those who appear to be excluded from its cost of living support, the Department for Work and Pensions has explained how a slice of the cash can be received. It's targeted at those on specific low-income, means-tested benefits, and the £650 payment will start to arrive this week with the first £326 instalment starting from July 14, reports Birmingham Live.
The sum will go to those who receive any of: Universal Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit. While income-related ESA does qualify for this support, the DWP guidance specifically states: "You will not get a payment if you get New Style Employment and Support Allowance, Contributory Employment and Support Allowance, or New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance, unless you get Universal Credit."
It means those on other forms of ESA are not included in the £650, unless they also get one of the benefits that is eligible. Bristol West Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire raised the issue in Parliament, asking "the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to not provide the cost of living payment to claimants of new-style Employment and Support Allowance on those claimants."
