Over eight million households to get new cost-of-living payment - check if you're eligible - The Worcester Observer

Over eight million households to get new cost-of-living payment - check if you're eligible

Worcester Editorial 16th Jun, 2022 Updated: 16th Jun, 2022   0

More than eight million households across the whole of the country will get a cash payment from 14 July to ease cost of living pressures, as announced by the Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey this week.

The move will see millions of households initially £326 better off as the government delivers significant interventions to support groups who are most vulnerable to rising costs.

Check if you’re eligible for the Cost of Living Payment. 

In total, millions of households will receive at least £1,200 this year to help cover rising costs.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Thérèse Coffey said:

With millions of the lowest-income households soon seeing the first of two cash instalments land into their bank accounts, we are taking action to directly help families with the cost of living.




This one-off payment totalling £650 is part of our £37 billion cost of living support package that will put an extra £1,200 into the pockets of those most in need.

The consumer group Which? said the cash would “bring relief to many.”


Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak added:

We have a responsibility to protect those who are paying the highest price for rising inflation, and we are stepping up to help.

In July over 8 million people will get their first £326 payment to help with rising prices, as part of a package worth at least £1,200 for vulnerable families. I said we would stand by people when they needed help, and we are.

The second instalment of £324 will be sent to qualifying low income households in the Autumn. The payments are designed to be deliberately slightly unequal to minimise fraud risks from those who may seek to exploit this system.

The government state the cash will be tax-free and not count towards someone’s benefit cap and the eligibility date for the second instalment will be announced soon.

All homes in the UK, regardless of how well off they are, are set to get £400 for help with energy bills this autumn, along with a previously announced £150 council tax rebate.

There will also be a separate £300 payment for pensioners, and a £150 payment for disabled people, both of which can be paid on top of the £650 cost-of-living payment.

The government says it means millions of vulnerable families will be getting at least £1,200 of support this year.

Pensioners and their loved ones are also being urged to take up Pension Credit as new figures show an estimated £1.7 billion in benefit is being left unclaimed.

Currently, over 1.4 million pensioners in Britain receive Pension Credit. However, many are still not claiming this extra financial help that can be worth over £3,300 a year.

You can read more about the cost of living support and what is available here.

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