Final Government cost of living payments are now being made

The UK Government has started to pay out the last in the series of cost of living payments that it introduced in April 2023 as a response to the cost of living crisis. Those who receive the payments could have been entitled to up to £1,350 over the year in additional financial support. These support payments have been made in instalments to eligible households and are rolled out through the benefits system, enabling payments to be made directly to households with no application process required.

The Government currently has no plans to make any further cost of living support payments in 2024, and instead has highlighted the rise in benefits, state pension and housing support which come into effect in April 2024.

What payments have been announced?

There were three types of support payments which were payable depending on household circumstances;

  • three separate cost of living support payments totalling £900 for low income households
  • a £300 pensioner payment
  • a £150 disability payment.

The third and final £299 low income cost of living payment will automatically be paid to eligible households between 6 and 22 February 2024. This cost of living payment will be made separately from your normal benefit payments, is not taxable and will not affect any of the benefits or tax credits you normally get.

Who is eligible?

 You may be eligible for this cost of living support payment if you receive certain benefits or Tax Credits. It does not matter whether or not you have received any of the previous cost of living support payments.

  • This third and final low income cost of living payment, is payable to those who are entitled to (or later found to be entitled to) one of the qualifying low income benefits within the qualifying period of 13 November and 12 December 2023.
    • Universal Credit
    • Income Support
    • Income based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
    • Income related Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
    • Pension Credit
    • Child Tax Credit
    • Working Tax Credit
  • Those households in receipt of Child or Working Tax credits and none of the other benefits listed above, during the qualifying period, will receive the payment between 16 February and 22 February 2024.
  • Those households in receipt of any of the other benefits listed above during the qualifying period will receive the payment between 6 February and 22 February 2024.

Further information

Further information on the Government’s cost of living payments is available here.

To make sure your family is claiming all the financial support you are entitled to, contact the Family Benefits Advice Service for a free, personalised ‘better off’ calculation on 028 9267 8200 or email hello@employersforchildcare.org. Last year, where we provided a ‘better off’ calculation for families, we were able to identify an average of £5,600 in additional financial support.

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