TODAY, millions of households all over the UK will start getting payments to help them deal with the rising cost of living.
About eight million eligible households will get payments of £324 from the Department of Work and Pensions. This is the first of two payments totaling £650 that are meant to help people on benefits deal with the rising cost of living.
From now until November 23, the payments will start coming in.
So, some people have started getting their money today, but others will have to wait a little longer. Between November 23 and November 30, those who get Working Tax Credits or Child Tax Credits but no other means-tested benefit will get their money.
If you’re not sure if you need to do anything, the answer is no.
The money will be sent automatically to people who get eligible benefits, as long as they meet the requirements for the qualifying period.
In September, people who got disability benefits got a payment of £150, but some of them didn’t get it. The same was true for people who were waiting for their first cost-of-living payment of £326.
If you find yourself in that boat, there is a spot on the government’s website where you can ask them about outstanding payments.
Today, only a few payments are due, but tomorrow is when things will really get going.
Even if you don’t get a DWP benefit, you may still be able to get the payment if you get Tax Credits but no other eligible benefits.
These payments, from HMRC, will come in the same week as the DWP payments, between November 23 and November 30.
Again, there’s nothing you need to check on in this area.
If you qualify, you should get a payment. Go to the government website I linked to above if you think you should have gotten a payment but haven’t.
These payments are part of the government’s plan to help people get through the winter, when prices go up for almost everything and energy costs go up, too.
About eight million pensioners will get an extra £300 from the Winter Fuel Payment, and some eligible households will get up to £600 to help pay their heating bills.
In related news, Shell reported last week that between July and September, they made £8.2 billion, which is more than the £3.67 billion they made during the same time period the year before.
During the same quarter, BP also made profits of £7.1 billion, which was more than double what it made during the same time in 2021.
