Low-income households to receive over 拢2 billion in further cost of living support
Around 8 million eligible households across the UK are set to receive a 拢299 Cost of Living Payment in February, as the 바카라 사이트 unveiled its plans to reward work, reform welfare and grow the economy.
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Around 8 million households to receive 拢299 Cost of Living payment between Tuesday 6 February and Thursday 22 February바카라 사이트犅�
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Follows Autumn Statement where Chancellor delivered additional cost of living support to most vulnerable as well as tax cuts for hardworking families聽
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Comes as 바카라 사이트 turns a corner on the economy and Work and Pensions Secretary ushers in next generation of welfare reforms聽聽
Around 8 million eligible households across the UK are set to receive a 拢299 Cost of Living Payment in February, as the 바카라 사이트 unveiled its plans to reward work, reform welfare and grow the economy.聽
The third of up to three Cost of Living Payments will be made to eligible people on means-tested benefits between 6 February and 22 February and is part of a support package that has helped millions of households since July 2022.聽
The payments come as the 바카라 사이트 announced 拢104 billion will be spent on cost of living support between 2022 and 2025 in November바카라 사이트檚 Autumn Statement 바카라 사이트� worth around 拢3,700 per household. Measures include:聽
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Uprating benefits by 6.7%聽聽
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Increasing the state pension by 8.5%聽聽
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Increasing the Local Housing Allowance by 拢7 billion바카라 사이트犅�
Our economy has turned a corner, and we are moving away from the big government, high spending, high borrowing, and high tax approach that was necessary before, and focusing on the long-term decisions required to strengthen our economy and give people the opportunity to build a wealthier, more secure life for themselves and their family.聽
As part of this, we announced that millions of the most in need will benefit from DWP바카라 사이트檚 next generation welfare reforms, including unprecedented employment and health support.聽聽
The 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트檚 拢2.5 billion Back to Work Plan provides new funding for a range of schemes designed to help people both find and stay in work, benefitting over a million people with disabilities, health conditions, or long-term unemployed. A new Chance to Work Guarantee will tear down barriers to work for millions of claimants to try work with no fear of reassessment or losing their health benefit top-ups.聽聽
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:바카라 사이트�
We바카라 사이트檝e delivered on our promise to halve inflation, putting money back in people바카라 사이트檚 pockets, while also providing millions of households with unprecedented financial support to ease cost of living pressures.聽
We will always protect the most vulnerable, while ensuring fairness for the taxpayer. We know that the best way to secure long-term financial security is through employment, so we바카라 사이트檙e rolling out the next generation of welfare reforms to put thousands more people on a pathway off benefits and into work.
The 拢299 payment in February 2024 will be sent automatically by the DWP and HM Revenue and Customs, so eligible people do not need to apply or take any action to receive it.聽聽
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, added:바카라 사이트�
Inflation has halved, but I know some families are particularly vulnerable to cost of living pressures, which is why these payments are so important.聽聽
The best way we can help families is by getting more people into good jobs, including through our Back to Work Plan which will help more than 1 million people look for work and grow the economy.
This government바카라 사이트檚 drive to help the most vulnerable has seen 1.7 million fewer households in poverty than in 2010. As part of this support, the Local Housing Allowance increase, which will benefit thousands, comes into force in April 2024. The 拢7 billion investment over five years will benefit around 1.6 million households who will be around 拢800 a year better off.聽聽
The DWP also continues to encourage low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit to check their eligibility, as they could still qualify for the cost-of-living payment in February.바카라 사이트犅�
Additional Information
The payment reference for bank accounts will be the recipient바카라 사이트檚 National Insurance Number followed by DWP COL. The HMRC payment reference will be HMRC COLS.
The Department for Work and Pensions press notice on the 拢2.5 billion welfare reforms announced in the Autumn Statement is available here: /government/news/autumn-statement-ushers-in-new-era-of-welfare-reform.
The Chancellor바카라 사이트檚 Autumn Statement is available here: /government/speeches/autumn-statement-2023-speech.
To be eligible for the Cost of Living Payment from DWP, you need to have been entitled to a payment for a qualifying benefit between 13 November and 12 December, or payment for an assessment period, ending between these dates.
The full list of benefit recipients that qualify for the third Cost of Living Payment are those who are eligible and receive at least one of the following:바카라 사이트�
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Universal Credit;바카라 사이트�
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income-based Jobseeker바카라 사이트檚 Allowance;바카라 사이트�
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income-related Employment and Support Allowance;바카라 사이트�
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Income Support;바카라 사이트�
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Working Tax Credit;바카라 사이트�
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Child Tax Credit;바카라 사이트�
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Pension Credit바카라 사이트�
To get the 拢299 payment someone must (subject to a very limited exception) have been entitled to a payment of a qualifying benefit as follows:바카라 사이트�바카라 사이트�
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For Universal Credit, payment for an assessment period ending between 13 November 2023 to 12 December 2023바카라 사이트�
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For all other DWP means-tested benefits, payment in respect of any day between 13 November 2023 to 12 December 2023바카라 사이트�
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For tax credits-only customers, a payment of tax credits in respect of any day in the period 13 November 2023 to 12 December 2023바카라 사이트痮r later be paid in respect of any day in this period바카라 사이트�
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Those on DWP benefits other than Universal Credit who are entitled to less than 10 pence and meet all other qualifying criteria but who do not receive a benefit payment, will still receive a Cost of Living Payment.바카라 사이트�
If a household becomes retrospectively entitled to a Cost of Living payment or believe they are entitled but do not receive one, they can report this via gov.uk from the 23 February.
It is one of three means-tested Cost of Living Payments made over 2023/24, worth up to 拢900 in total.
For joint Tax Credits claimants, where one claimant receives Working Tax Credit and the other claimant receives Child Tax Credit, payments will be made into the same bank account as the Child Tax Credit.
Further cost of living support is available through Councils in England thanks to DWP바카라 사이트檚 拢842 million extension to the Household Support Fund this year.
Table 1: Estimated number of households eligible for the means-tested benefit Cost of Living Payment by region
| Region | Households (thousands) | Proportion of all payments |
|---|---|---|
| London | 1,187 | 15% |
| South West | 567 | 7% |
| South East | 830 | 10% |
| Eastern | 615 | 8% |
| West Midlands | 783 | 10% |
| East Midlands | 545 | 7% |
| North West | 1,033 | 13% |
| North East | 395 | 5% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 713 | 9% |
| Wales | 422 | 5% |
| Scotland | 686 | 8% |
| Northern Ireland | 321 | 4% |
| Total | 8,097 | 100% |