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When is the cost of living payment and who can claim it? Cost-of-living payments: Who is getting them and when?
(about 1 month later)
Millions of people are now receiving the next round of payments to help with rising bills, as a committee of MPs investigate the fairness of the scheme. Millions of people are receiving payments to help with higher bills, with more to come.
Low-income households, pensioners and some disabled people will receive additional cost-of-living funds following an extension to the scheme from last year. Low-income households, pensioners and some disabled people are entitled to additional cost-of-living funds after the government extended a scheme it launched in 2022.
MPs are studying whether the design of the payments system has supported those most in need. A committee of MPs is currently investigating whether the payments are supporting those most in need.
What's happening to my energy bill? What cost-of-living payments are available?
What cost-of-living payments will be available?
Some groups will receive payments to help with higher bills, including:Some groups will receive payments to help with higher bills, including:
£900 in total in three instalments in spring, autumn and spring 2024 to households on means-tested benefits£900 in total in three instalments in spring, autumn and spring 2024 to households on means-tested benefits
£300 for pensioner households in the winter£300 for pensioner households in the winter
£150 to people on certain disability benefits, paid in the summer £150 to people on certain disability benefits
The first instalment of £301 for those on means-tested benefits will be made between 25 April and 17 May. The first instalment of £301 for those on means-tested benefits, which started to be paid on 25 April, has now been received by about eight million people.
Who is eligible for the £900? What can I do if I can't pay my energy bill?
Who is eligible for the £900 payment?
The payment, in three instalments, is available to households who receive the following benefits:The payment, in three instalments, is available to households who receive the following benefits:
Universal Credit Universal credit
income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-based jobseeker's allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance Income-related employment and support allowance
Income Support Income support
working tax credit Working tax credit
child tax credit Child tax credit
pension credit Pension credit
The payment reference on a recipient's bank account will be their national insurance number, followed by DWP COL. The payment reference on a recipient's bank account was their national insurance number, followed by DWP COL.
The 1.1 million people who receive only tax credits, rather than any of the other benefits, may be paid slightly later than others, starting on 2 May. The 1.1 million people who receive only tax credits, rather than any of the other benefits, were paid slightly later than others, with these payments beginning on 2 May.
People are not eligible for these payments if they receive New Style Employment and Support Allowance, contributory Employment and Support Allowance, or New Style Jobseeker's Allowance - unless they get Universal Credit. People are not eligible for these payments if they receive new style employment and support allowance, contributory employment and support allowance, or new style jobseeker's allowance - unless they get universal credit.
Anyone who thinks they should have received the help but did not should contact the office that pays their benefit or tax credits, or report it here.Anyone who thinks they should have received the help but did not should contact the office that pays their benefit or tax credits, or report it here.
To qualify for the next instalment, people had to have claimed a benefits payment between 26 January and 25 February 2023, or received a payment for an assessment period ending between these dates. Pensioner households may be able to have a new pension credit claim backdated. To qualify for the latest instalment, people had to have claimed a benefits payment between 26 January and 25 February 2023, or received a payment for an assessment period ending between these dates. Pensioner households may be able to have a new pension credit claim backdated.
An estimated 850,000 pensioner households do not claim pension credit, which is a gateway to these extra payments.An estimated 850,000 pensioner households do not claim pension credit, which is a gateway to these extra payments.
Other eligibility details are outlined here.Other eligibility details are outlined here.
None of these cost-of-living payments affect the tax you pay, or the benefits or tax credits you receive.None of these cost-of-living payments affect the tax you pay, or the benefits or tax credits you receive.
What help are disabled people getting?
Up to six million people on the following disability benefits are receiving another £150:
Disability living allowance
Personal independence payment
Attendance allowance
Scottish disability payments
Armed Forces independence payment
Constant attendance allowance
War pension mobility supplement
Those payments should be made between 20 June and 4 July.
What help are pensioners getting?
Households that receive the winter fuel payment - which is worth £200-£300 and is paid to nearly all homes with at least one person of pension age - should have received an extra £300 in November or December 2022, and will get another £300 this coming winter.
Lower-income pensioners who claim pension credit get the money in addition to the support provided for those on benefits.
What cost-of-living payments have people already received?What cost-of-living payments have people already received?
Two payments totalling £650 have been made to more than eight million low-income households. Two payments totalling £650 were made in 2022 to more than eight million low-income households.
The first instalment of £326 was paid between 14 and 31 July. The second instalment of £324 should have reached those eligible by the end of December. Payments of £300 were also paid to pensioners during the winter, and a £150 payment was also made to those with disabilities.
Payments of £300 were also paid to pensioners during the winter just gone, and a £150 payment was also made last year to those with disabilities.
Some people would have received all of those payments, if they were eligible.Some people would have received all of those payments, if they were eligible.
What other support has been available? What other support have people had?
Everyone's energy bill was cut by at least £400 during last winter. A £150 rebate, often through people's council tax bill, was made last year. The Household Support Fund, which is distributed by local councils, helped vulnerable people, including giving fuel vouchers to those in need.
This was applied over six months, with a £66 reduction in October and November, and a £67 discount every month between December and March. All household energy bills were cut by at least £400 between October and March.
The discount was made automatically by energy suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales. However, there are no plans so far for this to be repeated next winter. The discount was made automatically by energy suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales. However, there are no plans to repeat this in winter 2023.
Separate arrangements were made for households in Northern Ireland, which has its own energy market. They are receiving a single payment of £600 starting in January, which is higher than the rest of the UK because a higher proportion of households use heating oil. Separate arrangements were made for households in Northern Ireland, which has its own energy market.
Direct debit customers in Northern Ireland are having the money paid into their bank accounts. Other customers will be sent a voucher. They received a single payment of £600 starting in January, which was more than in the rest of the UK because a higher proportion of households use heating oil.
What help are disabled people getting? Direct debit customers in Northern Ireland had the money paid into their bank accounts. Other customers were sent a voucher.
Up to six million people on the following disability benefits will receive another £150 later in the year:
Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independence Payment
Attendance Allowance
Scottish Disability Payments
Armed Forces Independence Payment
Constant Attendance Allowance
War Pension Mobility Supplement
What extra help will pensioners get?
Households that receive the Winter Fuel Payment - which is worth £200-£300 and is paid to nearly all homes with at least one person of pension age - should have received an extra £300 in November or December.
That should cover nearly all pensioners across the UK. Another additional cost-of-living payment of £300 will be made next winter,
Lower-income pensioners who claim pension credit receive the money in addition to the support provided for those on benefits.
This means a small group of pensioners with disabilities have already received a total of £1,500, with more to come.
Try our Family £1 recipe meal planTry our Family £1 recipe meal plan
Why are prices rising so much?Why are prices rising so much?
What happens if I can't afford to pay my mortgage?What happens if I can't afford to pay my mortgage?
What is the inquiry by MPs all about?What is the inquiry by MPs all about?
The Commons Work and Pensions Committee is studying whether cost-of-living payments have been received everyone in need of help. The Commons Work and Pensions Committee is investigating whether cost-of-living payments have been received by those in most need of help.
They are studying whether some have missed out on hundreds of pounds because they are just outside the qualifying criteria, and whether the package as a whole is sufficient for low-income families.They are studying whether some have missed out on hundreds of pounds because they are just outside the qualifying criteria, and whether the package as a whole is sufficient for low-income families.
The evidence being considered by the committee includes the views of the public.
What other payments have been made?
A £150 rebate, often through people's council tax bill, was made last year.
The payment method depended on whether you pay your council tax by direct debit and where you live in the UK.
Some people were given fuel vouchers through the Household Support Fund, which is distributed by local councils.
What else is the government doing to tackle energy prices?What else is the government doing to tackle energy prices?
The government launched an Energy Price Guarantee in October 2022, which limits a typical duel-fuel household's annual energy bill to £2,500. The government launched an Energy Price Guarantee in October 2022, which currently limits a typical dual-fuel household's annual energy bill to £2,500.
It is not a cap on how much customers actually pay - your bill depends on how much energy you actually use.It is not a cap on how much customers actually pay - your bill depends on how much energy you actually use.
The scheme was initially designed to last for two years, but was then reduced to six months. The scheme, which applies to England, Wales and Scotland, was initially designed to last for two years, but was then reduced to six months.
However, the government has confirmed the guarantee will continue until July. However, the government has confirmed the guarantee will continue until July, when a typical bill will fall to around £2,074 a year under regulator Ofgem's energy price cap.
The plan applies to all households in England, Scotland and Wales, but in Northern Ireland a typical bill is lower. What is the energy cap and what's happening to bills?
What about help for businesses?What about help for businesses?
The government also announced a scheme to cut energy bills for businesses, which ended at the end of March. A government scheme to cut energy bills for businesses finished at the end of March.
Under a new scheme that began in April, firms get a discount on wholesale prices rather than costs being capped as under the previous deal.Under a new scheme that began in April, firms get a discount on wholesale prices rather than costs being capped as under the previous deal.
Heavy energy-using sectors, like glass, ceramics and steelmakers, get a larger discount than others.Heavy energy-using sectors, like glass, ceramics and steelmakers, get a larger discount than others.
How is the rising cost of living affecting you? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.How is the rising cost of living affecting you? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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DisabilityDisability
Cost of livingCost of living