This is the second of three payments over the financial year, totalling up to £900. Eligible pensioner households will also receive a further £300 payment later this year as an addition to the Winter Fuel payment.
Eligible tax credits-only customers who do not qualify for a payment from DWP will receive £300 from HMRC between 10 and 19 November.
Claimants will receive the payments automatically. They do not need to contact DWP or do anything to receive the payment
The full list of benefit recipients that qualify for the upcoming Cost of Living payment are those who receive:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
The qualifying period for this payment is between 18 August to 17 September 2023.
To be eligible for the payment, claimants need to have been entitled to a payment for one of these benefits between 18 August and 17 September, or payment for an assessment period ending between these dates.
The DWP has highlighted that low-income pensioners who are not already getting pension credit should check their eligibility as, due to the backdating rules, they could still qualify for this second payment, as well as the third payment that is due in Spring 2024.
Helen Barnard, director of policy at the Trussell Trust, said the new payments were not a suitable long-term solution to tackling poverty and hardship: "Each time a cost of living payment is made we have seen a corresponding reduction in the need for food banks."
"However, this respite is short-lived, as very soon afterwards we see that need increasing again with the number of emergency parcels distributed quickly rising again."
Each payment provided a respite of one to three weeks, depending on individual circumstances, the charity estimated.
Figures from YouGov for the Trussell Trust show that the majority of people who received payments in the spring of this year said that the payment had made just a little or no difference to improving their current financial situation when surveyed in August.
In addition, 80% of people who received a payment in spring had said they had already spent the relief by the time they were surveyed in August.
For more information our related news stories –
- DWP announces first £301 2023/24 Cost of Living Payment date
- DWP confirms issue date of £150 Disability Cost of Living payment
See also our Cost of Living Help resource.