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Cost of living help for households

Cost of living help for households

If you’re on means-tested benefits, you could soon receive the first of two Cost of Living Payments due to you this year. 

If you’re eligible, you won’t need to do anything. You’ll get a first instalment of £326 in the same way you receive other entitlements, between today (14 July) and 31 July 2022.

You’ll get the £326 during July if you received a qualifying benefit (Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, or Pension Credit) between 26 April and 25 May. A second instalment of £324 will be paid to you by the end of September, as we understand it at the time of writing.

If you receive tax credits and no other eligible benefits, you’ll receive your first instalment this autumn and the second in winter. They’ll again total £650.

Please note that if you get both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, you’ll receive one set of Cost of Living Payments (linked to Child Tax Credit only). You won’t get double the £650.

These payments are part of a Government package of support to help with rising living costs.

We understand that around eight million people should receive the Cost of Living Payments this year. If you’re one of them, you don’t need to contact or apply through the Department for Work and Pensions, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, or anyone else. You’ll receive your instalments automatically.

Other related government payments and support that we know of:

  • £150 for people on qualifying disability benefits, which can be in addition to the above, due to be paid in September.
  • An extra £300 for pensioner households paid as an increase to the winter fuel payment from mid-November.
  • The Energy Bills Support Scheme will see all domestic energy customers receive a one-of rebate of £400 paid by their energy providers.
  • An extended Household Support Fund until March 2023 is providing another £421 million for local support across England. This should help some local people with essentials including food, clothes and utilities, in response to the cost of living and as we continue to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Local information on this here: www.bolton.gov.uk/benefits/household-support-fund/1

These payments aren’t taxable and won’t affect the benefits or tax credits you already receive.

More details about the Cost of Living Payments and eligibility here: www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment

There’s helpful information about the further support available from the government here: https://costoflivingsupport.campaign.gov.uk

If you’d appreciate some support with money matters, try our Money Advice Team.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, we helped households save or gain a total of £10.7 million.

Just phone us on 01204 328000 or email us at moneyadviceteam@boltonathome.org.uk to see if you’re losing out on what should be yours, and possibly more money in your pocket.