People on Universal Credit will get £300 to help with the cost of living from next week, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
This one-off payment is the second instalment of the £900 cost of living payment intended for people on low income.
To qualify via Universal Credit, the person must have been entitled to Universal Credit, or later found to have been entitled to a payment, for an assessment period that ended in the period of August 18 and September 17 this year.
People could also qualify for the payment via income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit.
WATCH NOW: Jeremy Hunt announces £900 cost of living payment in House of Commons
The payment will be made between October 31 next week and November 19 for most people.
It will be later for those eligible via tax credits – between November 10 and November 19 for most people.
The payment is made separately from the benefit payments.
A specific code is used for these payments, and it’s slightly different for those who are eligible via a DWP benefit or HMRC tax credits.
Both reference codes will have a person’s National Insurance number on it, which is nine digits long.
It will also include “DWP COL” if a person gets DWP benefits or “HMRC COLSD” for those paid by HMRC.
People should be paid their cost of living payments automatically if they’re entitled to it, but it’s important to check it has arrived during the aforementioned time frame.
If a person thinks they should have had a payment but can’t see it in their bank, building society or credit union account, then they should report it.
It won’t be possible to report a missing £300 cost of living payment until November 20 this year.
Do you have a money story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
The first instalment of the £900 cost of living payment, worth £301, has already been paid by the DWP
PA
The first instalment of the £900 cost of living payment, worth £301, has already been paid, as has the £150 Disability cost of living payment.
People who think they are missing that payment can report this.
Before reporting a missing payment, the government urges people to check their bank, building society or credit union account, or Payment Exception Service voucher receipt, and note the payment is made separately from the benefit payment.
To find the relevant phone number to report the missing payment, the government has set up an online tool.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
