Millions of eligible households across Scotland and the UK have already received the first £326 instalment of the £650 cost of living payment.
However, some claimants have not yet been sent the money. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) previously said that the majority of people would receive the sum by July 31.
According to the UK Government department, there will be “potential delays for a small minority of cases”.
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Those who are eligible for the £326 payment and have not yet received it have been issued advice by the DWP on what to do next. If you believe you should have been sent the money but it is not in your bank account, you should report a missing Cost of Living payment on the GOV.UK website.
The DWP stated: "Most eligible people will have received their £326 cost of living payment by the end of July 2022. Before reporting a missing payment, check your bank, building society or credit union account, or your Payment Exception Service voucher receipt.
“The payment will be made separately from your benefit."
Who is eligible for the £650 cost of living payment?
The £650 sum is being issued to over eight million households across Scotland and the UK who receive qualifying means-tested benefits. These are payments that are made dependent on your income and savings.
Claiming the following benefits will qualify you for the £650 cost of living payment:
Child Tax Credit
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income Support
Pension Credit
Universal Credit
Working Tax Credit
People who claim Universal Credit, income-related ESA and JSA, Income Support, and Pension Credit have already begun receiving the first instalment, while the second is due this autumn.
People who claim tax credits will get the first payment slightly later, with it due in the autumn, while the second one will be paid this winter.
The money is transferred automatically to qualifying households, meaning you do not need to apply. It is not taxable and will not affect the benefits or tax credits you get.
Reasons why you might not have received your cost of living payment yet
The DWP has shared three possible reasons why you may not have been sent the first instalment yet:
You're still waiting for a decision on your benefit application or appeal - if you're eligible, you'll get the cost of living payment automatically later on
The payment is not due yet for your benefit - for example, if you get tax credits, you will not get your first cost of living payment until autumn 2022
You're not eligible for it - to get the £326, you must have been either entitled to a Universal Credit payment for an assessment period that ended in the period April 26, 2022 to May 25, 2022, or entitled to a payment of income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or Pension Credit payment for any day in the same period.
Not everybody who receives benefits will be eligible for the cost of living payment, so it is important to check what other support you may qualify for.
People claiming specific disability benefits will receive £150, while £300 will be issued to pensioners in receipt of Winter Fuel Payments. Additionally, every household in Scotland, England and Wales will get £400 off their energy bills, spread out over six months from October.
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