Cost of living payments 2024: Dates and who can get it

The cost of living crisis remains a day-to-day struggle for many, despite inflation easing slightly.

Financial support is available for low income households who receive certain benefits.

Here is what you need to know about who is eligible, when payments are expected and how you will receive them.

Cost of living support payment

Eight million eligible households will receive three cost of living support payments of £301, £300 and £299.

The first payment arrived in bank accounts in spring 2023, and households started receiving the second from 31 October 2023.

The final £299 payment will be paid from 16 February 2024.

Those who are entitled to receive the payment are those on:

• Universal credit
• Pension credit
• Income-based jobseeker's allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Income support
• Working tax credit
• Child tax credit

If you are eligible, the payment will be sent out automatically and in the same way you receive your existing benefits - so you do not need to apply or do anything to receive it.

Most people will be paid through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but those eligible solely through tax credits will be paid by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) instead.

HMRC will publish specific details of when payments will be made to these people.

Disability payment

Eligible people received a £150 disability payment between 20 June and 4 July 2023.

This payment was for those who receive any of the following benefits:

• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance for adults
• Disability Living Allowance for children
• Personal Independence Payment
• Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
• Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• War Pension Mobility Supplement

Winter fuel payment

Those that are eligible received these payments automatically in November or December 2023.

This payment is available for people born before 26 September 1956.

Here's who can get it.

Pensioner cost of living payment

Pensioners can also get an extra £150 or £300 from this payment - which will be paid as an automatic top-up to the winter fuel payment. This is to help pensioners with heating bills.

The government website has said: "The full amount of winter fuel payment (including the pensioner cost of living payment) you will get for winter 2023 to 2024 depends on when you were born and your circumstances during the qualifying dates."

So be sure to check if you are eligible via the government website.

Read more from Sky News:
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Beware of scams

In 2022, around 40 million people in the UK were targeted by scammers using the cost of living crisis to trick them into handing over money and personal details.

Last year, Citizens Advice warned it had seen a range of associated scams as people sought financial help with the cost of living.

These included emails claiming to be from Ofgem asking people to enter their bank details to get the £400 energy rebate.

The best way to avoid these scams will be to check if you are eligible for these payments through the government website.

Why might you not qualify for the cost of living payment?

The government website also says you will not be eligible for the cost of living payment if your benefit is reduced to £0 for the qualifying period - this is sometimes called a nil award.

The reasons your benefit may be reduced to £0 include:

• Getting more than one payment of earnings in your Universal Credit assessment period
• You or your partner's earnings went up
• You or your partner's savings went up
• You started receiving another benefit
• You got a sanction because you did not do something you agreed in your claimant commitment

However, you may still be eligible if your benefit is reduced to £0 and one of the following applies:

• Money was taken off your benefit for other reasons. This includes payments of rent to your landlord or for money that you owe
• You had a hardship payment because you could not pay for rent, heating, food or hygiene needs.