In the coming months, the first installment of the £900 Cost of Living Payment will be made to people on specific benefits.
Those who are in receipt of means-tested benefits are scheduled to receive the further cost of living payments this year following an announcement from the UK Government.
You will be eligible for one or more of the payments if you get certain benefits or tax credits. You will also not need to apply for the payments, with them being made automatically.
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These additional cost of living payments will be made separately from normal payments and are not taxable and will not affect any of the benefits or tax credits you get.
You could get up to three different types of payment depending on your circumstances on a particular date or during a particular period:
- a Low Income Cost of Living Payment, if you get a qualifying low income benefit or tax credits
- a Disability Cost of Living Payment, if you get a qualifying disability benefit
- a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, if you’re entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2022 to 2023
The first £301 low income payment will be made in Spring 2023, with a second £300 payment in Autumn 2023 and a third in Spring 2024.
A £150 Disability Payment is due during Summer 2023 and a £300 additional Winter Fuel Payment is due during Winter 2023/24.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said: "I know these are tough times for families across the UK who are struggling to meet rising food and energy costs, driven by the aftershocks of coronavirus and Putin’s war in Ukraine. That’s why we’re putting a further £900 into the pockets of over 8 million low-income households next year.
"These payments are on top of above-inflation increases to working-age benefits and the Energy Price Guarantee, which is insulating millions from even higher global gas prices. Tackling inflation is this government’s number one priority and is the only way to ease the strain of high prices, drive long-term economic growth and improve living standards for everyone."
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