Consumer champion Martin Lewis has sounded the alarm on the £150 cost of living payment for people on disability benefits, saying "not one person" appears to have received it.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has admitted there have been delays in sending out the payments, which were expected to start going out on Tuesday (September 20). The DWP told Money Saving Expert, founded by Lewis, that "operational issues" led to delays in sending out the money.
DWP said the operational problems meant it has so far only been able to send out a limited number of payments, but when Lewis sent out a tweet asking if anyone had received the money, no one out of 5,000 responders said they had. A further 1,700 people on Facebook said the same thing.
A DWP spokesman, however, has since assured MSE that everyone will be paid by the start of October.
Lewis said: "A few days before the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced his energy package back in May, he called me to get some rough feedback on what he had planned. In that conversation I raised the need for specific help for people with disabilities, many of whom by necessity have far increased energy usage.
"On the back of that he agreed to do something, though caveated that it wouldn't be much as it was interlinked with the £650 payment for those on benefits. I believe that is when the £150 payment was born. It's not a huge amount, but for many struggling, everything counts right now.
"That was four months ago. Many people have been eagerly, needily, waiting for it. We were told the payments would start on Tuesday. Yet when I asked on social media yesterday, among thousands of responses not a soul had received it. Of course the promise is it will be paid by October, so that hasn't been breached.
"Yet for people in a desperate situation, expectation management is crucial and so I'd call on the DWP to give better information on exactly when people can expect the money in their bank account."
Money Saving Expert advise that if you don't receive your payment by the end of the month, you should contact the DWP. But you should be aware the delay could b because you are still waiting for a decision on your benefit application or appeal. If you're eligible, you'll get the payment automatically later.
It is also possible that you might not be eligible for the payment. You can check if you're eligible on Gov.uk.
If you DON'T meet any of the criteria directly above but think you're eligible and haven't got your payment by mid-October, you can contact the DWP to appeal. You can do this by calling the number on your benefits claim letter, or by logging into your online benefits account. You'll need to provide your national insurance number, so make sure you've got this to hand.
The DWP said those who had confirmed payment of their disability benefit for 25 May 2022 – those who were already receiving or had successfully applied by then – were expected to be paid shortly after the payment window opened on Septmber 20. For those still waiting for confirmation of their disability benefits on 25 May 2022, or who are waiting to be assessed for eligibility to receive disability benefits, the process may take longer.
If you're eligible for the £150 payment, you shouldn't need to apply. If you're eligible, you'll be paid automatically in the same way you usually get your benefits or tax credits. However, be warned that if you get a cost of living payment and the DWP later finds you weren't eligible, you may have to pay it back.
You can use the MSE 10-minute benefits checker calculator to see what you could qualify for. Benefits are not only available to those out of work – even some families with an income of £50,000 or more can get help.
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