Many Benefits and Work readers will receive up to £1,200 in additional support this year as a result of announcements made by the chancellor today.

The possible payments include:

  • £650 one-off Cost of Living Payment for those on means tested benefits
  • £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment
  • £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme
  • £300 One-off Pensioner Cost of Living Payment

£650 one-off Cost of Living Payment for those on means tested benefits

More than 8 million households on means tested benefits will receive a payment of £650 this year, made in two instalments. This includes all households receiving the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Pension Credit

DWP will make the payment in two lump sums – the first from July, the second in the autumn. Payments from HMRC for those on tax credits only will follow shortly after each to avoid duplicate payments.

Claimants will need to be in receipt of one of these benefits, or have begun a claim which is later successful, as of 25th May 2022 to be eligible for the first of the two instalments. HMRC and DWP will provide further guidance, and the government will set out the eligibility date for the second instalment, in due course.

This payment will be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards

£150 Disability Cost of Living Payment

Around six million people across the UK who receive the following disability benefits will receive a one-off payment of £150 in September:

  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Scottish Disability Benefits
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • Constant Attendance Allowance
  • War Pension Mobility Supplement

Claimants must be in receipt of, or have begun an eventually successful claim for, one of these benefits as of 25th May 2022 to be eligible for this additional payment.

For the many disability benefit recipients who receive means tested benefits, this £150 will come on top of the £650 they will receive separately.

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

The government will make these payments directly to eligible people across the UK.

One-off £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment

Pensioner households will receive an extra £300 this year to help them cover the rising cost of energy this winter.

This additional one-off payment will go to the over 8 million pensioner households across the UK who receive the Winter Fuel Payment and will be paid on top of any other one-off support a pensioner household is entitled to, for example where they are on pension credit or receive disability benefits. Eligible households currently receive between £200 - £300, so the payment will represent at least double the support for this winter.

The Winter Fuel Payment (including the extra Pensioner Cost of Living Payment) is not taxable and does not affect eligibility for other benefits.

All pensioner households will get the one-off Pensioner Cost of Living Payment as a top-up to their annual Winter Fuel Payment in November/December. For most pensioner households, this will be paid by direct debit.

People will be eligible for this payment if they are over State Pension age (aged 66 or above) between 19 – 25 September 2022. There are certain circumstances where an individual above State Pension age does not qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment which can be found here on gov.uk

The government will make these payments directly to households across the UK.

Energy Bills Support Scheme doubled to a one-off £400

Households will get £400 of support with their energy bills through an expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

As well as doubling the £200 of support announced earlier this year, the full £400 payment will now be made as a grant, which will not be recovered through higher bills in future years.

Energy suppliers will deliver this support to households with a domestic electricity meter over six months from October. Direct debit and credit customers will have the money credited to their account, while customers with pre-payment meters will have the money applied to their meter or paid via a voucher.

This support will apply directly for households in England, Scotland, and Wales. It is GB-wide and we will deliver equivalent support to people in Northern Ireland.

This support is in addition to the £150 Council Tax rebate for households in England in Council Tax bands A-D, which was announced in February, and which millions of households have already received.

Full details of the payments are available in the Cost of living support factsheet: 26 May 2022

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    satmanbasil · 1 years ago
    We are both pensioners and both receive £100 each year winter fuel allowance I read as a one off special cost of living payment of £300.00 will be added to this payment totalling £400.00 if my maths is correct, however today in the post my wife received her notice of the pending payment but only for the sum of £350.00 ? have they made a mistake or are they trying to cut back on a promise already made to pensioners struggling with cost of living and fuel prices right now.
    Has anybody else received this assessment.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Deborah Williams · 1 years ago
    I am on ESA and still haven't received any other payment than my normal money 
    Am I going to get this 
    I am on pip as well I am 59 years old 
    So why have I not had anything yet .
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Hetty. · 1 years ago
    The £650 CoL payment is not a 'one off payment'. The EngGovs' DWP have paid HALF of it, to those who were 'eligible' on certain dates April-May 2022.

    The other half, due to be paid in the 'winter', will be paid only IF the person(s) are eligible on a specific date, which conveniently has NOT yet been set, and so if your benefits are stopped or paused on the date (which they have not yet announced!), you will not qualify for the other half of the £650. It looks good on paper and every penny helps for those in need, but, I am sure they will ensure that many do not get the rest of the payment.

    Important that people know this is how they are conning the public.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Kelly · 1 years ago
    Will I receive ESA £150 at the end of September
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    IanSH · 1 years ago
    Those on legacy benefits and still waiting to be transferred are losing £500 of additional help because they are not yet on UC. It seems that the attitude of this government is that if you are in receipt of contribution based benefits (ie working prior to becoming sick) you can ‘cope’ somehow.  I have disabled friends that are desperate and those with additional mental health problems  who are close to being suicidal.  People never in debt before in their life and now destitute - people medically unwell, who through no fault of their own are still waiting for the DWP to ‘call them up’ as it were. Someone needs to take this further!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Keetascrafts · 1 years ago
    You get the £650 total payment if in receipt of income related ESA however if in receipt of both Income related and contribution related ESA you do not qualify. How can this be ?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Michele S · 1 years ago
      @Keetascrafts I am on esa contribution benefit pip higher rate . We get Zero help just £150 disablement and £66 per month off utility bill total £350 or thereabouts it’s a cunning government swindle . We all should have claimed income support on top of our esa when converted from invalidity benefit . I reach pension age April 15 . Wonder what happens then ? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    M. Christie · 1 years ago
    My husband is 30% disabled, on industrial Injury benefit and is a pensioner. Is he entitled to the £150 one off disability payment?

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Rae j · 1 years ago
      @M. Christie I'm universal credit sick payment I can't work I'm disabled and have mental health so am I going to get the 150 payment if no it's unfair I'm still classed as disabled and on uc lwcra wich is the equivalent to esa please can anyone help 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Georgina1953 · 1 years ago
    I’m on pip , 2 part highest award, plus housing benefit. I am a pensioner. 
    what extra benefits being distributed am I entitled to. Thank you
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Yvonne. · 1 years ago
    I get housing and council tax benefits,but do not get pension credit am I entitled to cost of living payment?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    David · 1 years ago
    Those of you who get ESA and didn't get any winter payment. Just remember this at the next election when voting. If you don't vote start. 

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    tiny tim · 1 years ago
    No housing benefit is a means tested benefit which you can no longer get and thus is classed as a legacy benefit so is not mentioned in the list but i think you have to be on full benefit. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    tiny tim · 1 years ago
    Just had some good news this morning i checked my bank account and i have got the £326 payment and i am on contribution ESA i was told by my council it is because i am on a legacy benefit which is housing benefit.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Joanne Webb · 1 years ago
      @tiny tim Hmm that's interesting.  I read that you have to receive housing benefit plus one of the qualifying benefits to receive the £650.  Housing benefit alone would not qualify.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Stuart.m. · 1 years ago
    So I get was support group daily living pip and sever disability premium also. After reading the break down of my loving expenses disability income guarantee  and extra money for severely disabled it gives me a total that states my total income- related balance is what I get. Does that mean it's income related and should I get the 650.it's so hard to figure out. Been on was and pip for years. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Paddy · 1 years ago
    My partner and I  both get  contribution based ESA, PIP and Universal credit. Do I qualify for an extra payment 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Hope · 1 years ago
    If I get UC and LCWRA will I be eligible for this £650 payment? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Bec · 1 years ago
    Does my son get £650 if gets pip but not old enough to recieve universal credit as only 17 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Helen · 1 years ago
      @Bec I think will only receive £150. 

      to get the £650 you have to be in receipt of certain benefits & pip isn’t one of them

      My D is 17, in receipt of pip & nothing else so shld only get £150
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Nancy · 1 years ago
    If we both have state pension,but don’t get pension credit ,do we get this money ?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    A.adams · 1 years ago
    Do i still get the  £650 even if I claim  Lcwra and universal credit
    ?? To many different rules, I'm lost..
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Hope · 1 years ago
      @A.adams Did anyone explain this as I am lost too 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Fibrogirl · 1 years ago
      @A.adams You will get the £650 split into 2 payments July and Autumn date to be confirmed if you receive any of the following: 
      Universal Credit
      Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
      Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
      Income Support
      Working Tax Credit
      Child Tax Credit
      Pension Credit
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Mr me · 1 years ago
    If you get the disability premium of Esa do you also get the extra £150 ( in the support group and income related Esa ??? 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Fibrogirl · 1 years ago
      @Mr me £650 split into two payments July and Autumn date to be confirmed and £150 if you get any of the following: Disability Living Allowance
      Personal Independence Payment
      Attendance Allowance
      Scottish Disability Benefits
      Armed Forces Independence Payment
      Constant Attendance Allowance
      War Pension Mobility Supplement
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Debra · 1 years ago
    Do I get 650 as I am on employment support  allowance and pip
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Chris Phoenix · 1 years ago
      @Debra If you are in receipt of income related ESA Yes you will get it. Not if you are on contributions based esa. 
      plus you will get the £150 because you on pip 
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