Message from UK Government:
Help for Households and Cost of Living Payments
The Government is providing £37 billion this year to help households combat the rising cost of living.
This toolkit sets out-what the different payments are and when they will start being paid-who is eligible for the payments.
Cost of Living Payment Households may receive £650 if they are on means tested benefits, including #UniversalCredit #PensionCredit
Check eligibility here: Cost of Living Payment -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you are claiming a low-income benefit and think that you are entitled to a Cost of Living Payment, you don’t need to do anything. You’ll get the payments automatically. To find out more visit: Cost of Living Payment -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- The first instalment of the £650 Cost of Living Payments will be paid automatically to eligible people, between 14 -31 July. The remaining £324 will be paid in autumn. To find out more visit: Cost of Living Payment -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Did you know that households on means tested benefits, including Universal Credit and Pension Credit, may receive a payment of £650 this year? This will be made automatically in two instalments -the first £326of which will be paid between 14 -31 July. To find out more visit: Cost of Living Payment -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
FAQs
Q: How do people apply for these Cost of Living Payments?
A: People do not need to apply for Cost of Living payments. If they are eligible, they will be paid automatically in the same way that they usually receive their benefit or tax credits.
Q: Will these payments affect other benefits?
A: These payments are not taxable and will not affect the benefits or tax credits people already receive.
Q: How will people know they are eligible? What are the qualifying dates and requirements?
A: To get the first Cost of Living Payment of £326, people must have been entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of either Universal Credit for an assessment period that ended in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022 or income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or Pension Credit for any day in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022.For Tax Credit customers –To get the first Cost of Living Payment of £326, customers must have received a payment, or an annual award of at least £26, of tax credits for any day in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022. GOV.UK will be updated when the qualifying dates to get the second payment of £324 have been announced by the Government.
Q: When will the second cost of living payment be paid?
A:We will be communicating with customers when payment dates for the second payment of £324 are confirmed, but we expect this to be by the end of September 2022.Eligible customers receiving tax credits only, will receive their second payment in Winter 2022.
Q: Why are the two amounts, of £326 and £324, slightly different?
A:This will help people to know they have received both payments andavoid the risk of fraud and duplicate payments.
Q: What if a customer gets child tax credit and working tax credit?
A: If you get both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, you will receive one set of Cost of Living Payments, linked to Child Tax Credit only.
Q: I get additional benefits. Will this affect how much I get?
A:If you receive tax credits from HMRC or a qualifying low income benefit from DWP, you will receive a Cost of Living Payment from DWP or HMRC. If you also get a qualifying disability benefit, you may receive an additional Disability Cost of Living Payment from DWP.
Q: Why are tax credits customers getting paid later?
A: It’s possible for customers to be entitled to both tax credits and other eligible benefits which are administered by DWP. So, HMRC will make payments to eligible customers receiving tax credits only, shortly after DWP, to avoid duplicate payments.
Useful Information:
- Use the HM Gov benefits checker to find out what you might be entitled to
- BSL information on YouTube
- Use an independent benefits calculator to find out what benefits you could get
- DWP Press Release
- Independent News Article: Can I get the £650 cost of living payment?
- Cost Of Living Factsheet
- Cost Of Living campaign website
- You may be able to get other kinds of support, including:
- Help from the Household Support Fund from your local council in England
- Pension Credit calculator
- Understanding Universal Credit
- The Discretionary Assistance Funding Wales
- A Crisis Grant or Community Care Grant in Scotland
- Discretionary Support or a Short-term Benefit Advance in Northern Ireland
