Cost-of-Living Payments: What's Available & Who is Eligible?

The Cost of Living Payments

The Cost of Living Payments will provide £650 in two instalments to those with qualifying entitlement to the following social security benefits:

a) Universal Credit

b) State Pension Credit

c) Income-based Jobseekers Allowance

d) Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

e) Income Support

The first payment of £326 will be made in July 2022 and the second payment of £324 will be made in the autumn 2022.

Those in receipt of both Child and Working Tax Credits will also receive a payment of £650 paid in two instalments in autumn and winter 2022

First Payment Eligibility

To get the first Cost of Living Payment of £326, a person 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

· income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or Pension Credit for any day in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022

· received a payment, or an annual award of at least £26, of tax credits on any day in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022

The Disability Payment

A £150 disability payment will be paid to eligible individuals to help with the particular extra costs they may face.

Eligibility is determined if an individual had a qualifying entitlement on 25 May 2022 to one of the following disability benefits:

(a) a disability living allowance

(b) a personal independence payment

(c) an attendance allowance

(d) an adult disability payment under the Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Scotland) Regulations 2022 (S.S.I. 2022/54);

(e) a child disability payment under the Disability Assistance for Children and Young People (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (S.S.I. 2021/174);

(f) an armed forces independence payment

(g) a constant attendance allowance (social security and Ministry of Defence)

(h) a war pensions mobility supplement

For more information, please visit: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cost-living-support