Millions of households have received £450 in cost of living payments so far this year, with £899 still set to be sent out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), but when?
The first of three cost of living payments, worth £301, was sent out to more than eight million homes in the spring, while a six million homes on disability benefits also received a £150 cost of living payment in June.
There are still more DWP payments to come this year though, with the next being a £300 cost of living payment sent to more than eight million homes.
The DWP say this will be paid in Autumn 2023.
Could someone you know be eligible for #PensionCredit?
— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) July 17, 2023
They could be missing out on an average of £3,500 per year
Talk to them about checking their eligibility online today at https://t.co/VODVM8kKLC or call 0800 99 1234 pic.twitter.com/tZbkgTxYLp
The final part of this cost of living payment, worth £299, will then be sent to the same eligible homes in Spring of next year.
Between those payments, pensioners will receive a one-off payment worth £300 in the winter.
Who can claim DWP cost of living payments
There are several benefits that could make claimants eligible for the Cost of Living Payment, including Universal Credit and tax credits – through which 5.4 million households across the UK are expected to qualify, and Pension Credit, through which 1.4 million pensioner households are expected to be paid. 1.3 million will be eligible through legacy DWP benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support, reaching a total of 8.1 million households.
Eligible individuals do not need to apply for payments, as they are made automatically. Those eligible for cost of living payments through tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will be paid by HMRC shortly after DWP payments are made.
Dates for DWP cost of living payments
The exact payment dates are yet to be announced by the DWP, but this is when to expect each individual payment over the next year:
Second cost of living payment - £300 – Autumn 2023
Pensioner payment - £300 – Winter 2023
Third cost of living payment - £299 – Spring 2024
DWP cost of living payment scam warning
The DWP have also issued a warning to anyone expecting a payment this year.
In a post shared across their social media platforms, the DWP warned people to look out for scammers hoping to capitalise on people confused about the payments.
The post said: “Watch out for scammers targeting people about cost of living payments.”
They reminded eligible claimants that they did not need to apply for the payment or call the DWP, the payments would be automatically sent to them, and they would never ask for personal details via text or email.
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