- 422,000 households across Wales will receive a £300 Cost of Living payment from the UK government from today.
- Those eligible will be paid between Tuesday 31 October and Sunday 19 November.
- This is the second of three Cost of Living payments adding up to £900 in 2023/24 - though some people will receive up to £1,350.
Hundreds of thousands of households across Wales will receive a £300 Cost of Living payment from the Government, with payments rolled out from today, demonstrating the UK Government's commitment to supporting the most vulnerable with the cost of living.
This is the second of up to three payments for those eligible on means-tested benefits, totalling up to £900 through 2023/24. Those entitled do not need to apply for the payment or do anything to receive it. Payments made during this window will be staggered over the next couple of weeks meaning not everyone entitled to receive a payment will receive it today.
Over summer, we provided a £150 payment to eligible disabled people. Pensioner households will also receive £300 which will be paid as a top up to those eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in November and December. A further cost of living payment will be made to eligible households by Spring 202 - meaning support for some will top £1,350.
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:
Tackling inflation is the best way to boost people's incomes, but as we work to halve it, we are protecting the most vulnerable households from high prices with this latest Cost of Living payment.
Work Coaches are based in Jobcentres across Wales and are on hand to help people find work or enhance their skills. I encourage anyone wanting to strengthen their finances and unleash the benefits of work to contact their local Jobcentre to see what help is available.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:
Its good news that inflation is falling and wages are growing, but prices are still too high. Our plan to halve inflation this year is the best thing we can do to help people, with this £300 payment offering a timely boost before Christmas.
Welsh Secretary, David TC Davies, said:
We know that the cost of living is continuing to have an impact on people which is why the UK Government is supporting over 420,000 low income households in Wales with this payment of £300, as part of a broader package of support.
At the same time, we are working hard to reduce inflation, which will help everyone in Wales and across the UK with their finances.
This builds on the significant cost of living support already provided to eligible households throughout 2022 - now worth an average of £3,300 per household over this year and last. We have also gone further by:
- Increasing benefits in line with inflation, meaning more than 10 million working age families will see an average increase of around £600.
- Maintaining the Triple Lock earlier this year to give around 12 million pensioners the largest ever cash increase to the State Pension worth £870.
- Extending the Household Support Fund for another year in England to help families with essential costs with £1 billion of extra funding.
- Increasing the National Living Wage by its largest ever cash amount for 2 million workers - worth over £1,600 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker - and committed to increase it to over £11 an hour from April 2024.
- Cutting fuel duty by 5 pence and frozen the increase, worth £100 to the average driver this year.
- Covering 85% of childcare costs for working households on Universal Credit, up from 70% under the legacy system - currently worth over £19,500-a-year for families with two children.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will send payments automatically and directly to recipients' accounts, with a reference of their National Insurance number followed by 'DWP COL'. Tax credits-only customers will receive the payment from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between 10 and 19 November 2023 with the reference 'HMRC COLS'
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 18 August 2023 and 17 September 2023, or payment for an assessment period, ending between these dates.
The eligible benefits are:
- Universal Credit;
- Pension Credit;
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance;
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance;
- Income Support;
- Working Tax Credit;
- Child Tax Credit.
While payments are made automatically, people must be receiving one of the eligible qualifying benefits during the specified period to qualify. Those who wish to check their entitlement to benefits should use a benefits calculator on Gov.ukto get a better idea of what they could receive.
The DWP continues to encourage low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit to check their eligibility, as - thanks to Pension Credit backdating rules - they could still qualify for both the second Cost of Living Payment as well as the third payment due by Spring 2024.
Those in need are also encouraged to contact their local council to see if any additional support is available in their local area, such as through the DWP's Household Support Fund in England, worth over £2 billion across its lifetime.
