The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an update as people start to get their second cost of living payments. On Tuesday, November 8, the first of the £324 payments were sent out to eligible people on means-tested benefits.
The payments are the second instalment of the £650 one-off payments that the government is handing out to the people struggling most amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. The first instalment of £326 was paid back in July.
Claimants have been warned that not everyone will get their payment at the same time. While some people may have seen the money land in their account already, some might be waiting for another couple of weeks.
People have been told not to contact the DWP if they are yet to receive their second cost of living payment as they will continue to be made throughout November.
Today, the DWP published the number of payments that have been made since Tuesday. More than eight million people in total are expected to get a payment between November 8 and November 23.
The DWP said that 1.6 million payments were processed on both November 8 and November 9, which means around 3.2 million payments have been made so far. That means around 5 million people will still be waiting for the money to land in their accounts.
People on Universal Credit, income-based Jobseekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Tax Credits are among those who may be eligible for the payment. People who get DWP benefits are expected to get their payments before November 23, but around one million claimants, who get tax credits and no other means-tested benefits, will get their second payments after that date.
Payments will be made by the DWP to families in receipt of DWP-administered means-tested benefits, and by HMRC to families in receipt of tax credits only. They are made directly into eligible recipients’ bank accounts, with no need for people to apply or do anything to receive it.
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