HOUSEHOLDS on low incomes will start to receive the final £299 cost-of-living payment from Tuesday.
Payments will be made across the UK by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between February 6 and 22.
It is the third of up to three payments totalling up to £900 paid to eligible households on means-tested benefits over 2023/24 and comes as part of a support package that has been helping households since autumn 2021.
When will the next DWP cost of living payments be received?
Households receiving tax credits only will receive payments from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between February 16 and 22.
The payments will be sent out automatically and recipients do not need to apply to receive them.
Who is eligible for the DWP £299 cost of living payment?
People in the UK will be eligible for the £299 cost of living payment in February, according to the Gov.uk website, if they receive any of the following benefits or tax credits:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
The cost of living payment will be made separately from other benefits.
You will not get a payment if you are only getting New Style ESA, contributory ESA, or New Style JSA.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is also encouraging low-income pensioners who are not already receiving Pension Credit to check their eligibility, as they could still qualify for the cost-of-living payment in February.
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said meanwhile: “The economy has turned a corner, and with inflation falling we are providing millions of the most vulnerable households with another significant cash boost.”
READ MORE: DWP £300 cost of living payment - deadline for Scots looms
UK Government minister for Scotland John Lamont said: “This crucial cost-of-living payment will benefit more than 680,000 people across Scotland.”
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “Over 400,000 households in Wales will be receiving this payment directly into their bank accounts to help them with the cost of living.”
The UK Government said it will continue to support vulnerable people with the cost of living from April by uprating benefits in line with inflation by 6.7% and maintaining the triple lock and increasing the state pension by 8.5%, among other measures.
People can check the Help for Households website to see what cost-of-living schemes are available.
According to figures released by the Insolvency Service last week, the number of people needing breathing space from their debts jumped by 25% in 2023 compared with the previous year.
Across England and Wales, there were 88,390 registered breathing spaces in 2023, comprised of 86,928 standard and 1462 mental health breathing space registrations, the Insolvency Service said.
A standard breathing space is available to people with problem debt and gives legal protections from creditor action for up to 60 days.
A mental health crisis breathing space is available to someone who is receiving mental health crisis treatment.
It lasts as long as the person’s mental health crisis treatment, plus 30 days.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here