Cost of living payments

You may be eligible for extra payments to help with living costs if you get certain benefits or tax credits.

You do not need to apply for cost of living payments. You will be paid in the same way that you usually receive your benefit or tax credits if you are eligible.

These payments are not taxable and will not affect the benefits or tax credits you receive.

Watch our Cost of Living: advice on disability benefits video to help explain how we can help you identify what you can claim.

Eligibility criteria

You may be eligible for Cost of Living Payments worth £900 in total over this tax year, (April 2023 to March 2024), if you get a low-income benefit like:

Universal Credit (UC)
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support
Pension Credit

Or if you get tax credits, which include:

Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit

These payments are not issued to claimants who are only receiving contribution or new style JSA and ESA without an income related top up (such as UC or income related ESA/income based JSA). If you’re unsure whether your ESA or JSA is income based and/or contribution based, check your decision letter.

If you’re unsure which type of ESA you get, check your decision letter.

You can also call Jobcentre Plus on 0800 169 0310.

You will not get a payment if you get New Style Employment and Support Allowance, contributory Employment and Support Allowance, or New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance, unless you get Universal Credit.

Payment dates

The first of the three payments was made during the summer of 2023.

The second instalment is due to be issued in Autumn 2023. For those in receipt of DWP only benefits or DWP and HMRC benefits (tax credits) the payment will be distributed automatically between 31 October 2023 and 19 November 2023.

For those in receipt of HMRC only benefits (tax credits) payments will be made automatically between 10 and 19 November 2023.

Disability benefits

There was also a £150 payment made to people on qualifying disability benefits, which was due to be paid between 20 June 2023 and 4 July 2023.

To have received this payment you would have needed to be in receipt of a disability benefit on 1 April 2023. If you have not received this payment, due perhaps to your qualifying disability benefit being awarded later but then backdated to April 1 2023 or beyond, you can report this using the following link:

https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/report-a-missing-cost-of-living-payment/welcome

This link can be used to report a missing payment of any of the cost of living payments.

Winter fuel 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 amount paid depends on circumstances, for further details visit: gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment#pensioner-cost-of-living-payment

You will be sent a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you’ll get if you’re eligible. You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2023 to 2024 if you were born before 25 September 1957. The qualifying dates for the payment will be published later in the year.

Further information and advice can be found in our factsheets:

Download Download our Cost of Living factsheet (Word)

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Download Cost of Living FAQs (Word)

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