THOSE who did NOT receive the £326 cost of living payment back in July can now complain to the DWP.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an update stating tax credit claimants can now complain if their payment didn’t arrive.
You can now complain if you haven’t received the first half of your cost of living payment
The £650 cost of living payment was first issued by former Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help struggling households.
It is to be paid in two instalments – the first £326 having been issued in July.
Those on Working Tax and Child Tax credits received their first instalment last – between September 2 and 7.
The second instalment for those on Tax Credits is due to be paid in the winter, although the government is yet to confirm a specific month or date.
But, last month, around one million people on Tax Credits hadn’t received their first payment yet.
New guidance on the government website states: “Tax Credits claimants can now let HMRC know if they think they should have had the £326 Cost of Living Payment, but cannot see it in their bank, building society or credit union account.”
Am I entitled to the cost of living payment?
Millions of people on a range of benefits are due to get the £650 cost of living payment, including those on:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based JSA
- Income-related ESA
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Tax Credits
If you are part of the group on Tax Credits, to be entitled to the first £326 payment, you must have been eligible, or later found to be eligible, between April 26 and May 25 this year to:
- a tax credits payment
- an annual award of at least £26 of Tax Credits
There are two types of Tax Credits – Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.
If you receive both, you will only receive a £650 total payment for Child Tax Credits.
If you get Tax Credits from HMRC and a low income benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), you will get a cost of living payment from only the DWP.
How do I report a missing payment?
There’s a form to fill in on the DWP website, which you can find here.
You’ll need to have your National Insurance number to hand.
And if you’ve already reported a missing payment, you should wait for the DWP to get back to you. You shouldn’t need to fill out another form.
But make sure to check your bank, building society or credit union account, or your Payment Exception Service voucher receipt before doing so, just to be sure.
What other help can I get?
If you’re entitled to this payment, you might be entitled to some others.
We’ve listed a few for you here.
£150 disability cost of living payment
Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in May that six million disabled Brits will receive £150 from 20 September.
The money is to help cover the costs of running energy intensive equipment at home.
For many disability benefit recipients who receive means tested benefits, the £150 will come on top of the £650 they will receive separately.
The automatic payments will be exempt from tax, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.
£150 Council Tax rebate
In February, the government announced it would be offering a council tax rebate to combat rising energy bills.
The £150 payment is for people whose homes fall under council tax bands A-D and local councils are responsible for deciding who is eligible and making payments.
The government set a deadline of September 30 for all payments to be made, and payments started back in April.
Many people who pay their council tax bill by direct debit have already had the cash paid directly into their bank accounts.
But thousands who don’t must apply for the £150 from their local authority.
You can find your local authority by using the government’s handy tool.
Some households are yet to receive payments, but councils have given updates on when residents in those areas should expect to receive them.
£150 from £144 million discretionary fund
Thousands of people who are not eligible for a council tax rebate could still get up to £150 free cash to help with the rising cost of living.
A separate £144 million fund has also been launched, which local councils can dish out to vulnerable and low income households in their area.
An estimated 4.7million households are in council tax bands E-H, so will not get the rebate automatically, but could still qualify for a discretionary payment.
Local authorities are giving out the cash in different ways and the amount you get and who qualifies can vary depending on where you live.
You can find your local council on the government’s website.
£300 Pensioner cost of living payment
In November or December this year, a £300 one-off Pensioner cost of living payment will be dished out to eight million households.
It will be given to those who already get the winter fuel payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
The extra £300 will be paid directly and is on top of this support which means some eligible households will see their payments double this winter.
You can check out if you are eligible for the Winter Fuel payment in this handy explainer.
£200 Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund programme aims to help those struggling with their finances and can’t cover the essentials.
The Scheme is part of the Government’s Household Support Fund which was first introduced in October 2021.
It has recently been extended until September 30, 2022 as millions of people face the ongoing cost of living crisis.
In May of this year Chancellor Rishi Sunak pumped an extra £500million into the scheme. In total, £1.5 billion has been made available.
The money is being dispersed between local councils to help those who need it locally.
Each council determines how to use its budget to help local residents, with many previously dishing out supermarket and fuel vouchers or one-off cash payments.
Not all residents can receive the support due to eligibility requirements, so it’s best to check your local council’s website.
