Cost of Living Help | Disability Rights UK

Over 8 million claimants will get £900 in three payments, whilst 6 million disability benefit will get an additional £150 and 8 million pensioners will get £300 in addition to their winter fuel payments.

For 2023/2024, the DWP has said that a new £900 “cash boost” will be paid as before to eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including those on:

universal credit
income-based jobseeker’s allowance
income-related employment and support allowance
income support
pension credit
child tax credit
working tax credit

Payments will start in Spring 2023 and will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the course of the financial year.

There will also be a separate £150 to disabled people who receive:

disability living allowance,
personal independence payment,
attendance allowance,
Scottish disability benefits,
armed forces independence payment,
constant attendance allowance
war pension mobility supplement

In addition, £300 will be given to pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments.

These payments will all be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.

While exact payment dates will be announced closer to the time, they will be “spread across a longer period to ensure a consistent support offering throughout the year”.

The first Cost of Living payments were made as follows:

£301 – First Cost of Living Payment – was made between 25 April and 17 May 2023 for most people
£150 – Disability Payment – was made between 20 June 2023 and 4 July 2023
Those eligible for the new payments should not have to apply as they will be paid automatically by the DWP.

Find out how to report a missing Cost of Living Payment, if you think you should have had one of the following payments.

The DWP will make the second 2023 Cost of Living payment of £300 to eligible customers between 31 October and 19 November.

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 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.

Pensioner Cost of Living Payment

If you’re entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023 to 2024, you will get an extra £150 or £300 paid with your normal payment from November 2023.

The full amount of Winter Fuel Payment (including the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment) you will get for winter 2023 to 2024 depends on when you were born and your circumstances during the qualifying dates.

You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023 to 2024 if you were born before 25 September 1957.

This guidance will be updated with the qualifying dates for the payment when they are published.

You will be sent a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get if you’re eligible.

Those eligible for the new payments should not have to apply as they will be paid automatically by the DWP.

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Other cost of living help

Cold Weather Payments

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Check if you can get a payment in your area.

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Household Support Fund

Help with essential costs may be available from your local council.

This could help if you’re struggling to afford things like:

energy and water bills
food
essential items

You do not have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council.

Authorities should consider providing support to disabled people in their area.

Disabled people in particular may be facing acute challenges due to the disproportionate impact that rising costs bring for the additional services they need in order to manage their conditions, remain independent and avoid becoming socially isolated.

For example, some disabled people may have increased utility bills due to the usage of equipment, aids or adaptations associated with their disability.

They may also have additional heating, water or transport costs. Authorities are therefore encouraged to explore ways in which this group may be supported and must record the total value of awards granted to disabled people

If you get benefits, they will not be affected if you get a payment from a Household Support Fund scheme.

For more information see Get help with the cost of living from your local council available from gov.uk.

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Other help with the cost of living information resources

Help with certain disability related costs:

If you use an oxygen machine as part of your home oxygen therapy, Baywater Healthcare, on behalf of the NHS, will refund you for any electricity your machine uses.

Non-Residential Charges: Paying towards the cost of your care and support at home available from disabilityrightsuk.org.

Household gadgets and equipment to make life easier available from nhs.uk.

Household Support Fund grants available from gov.uk.

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