£650 Cost of Living & £150 Disability grants: Who’s eligible and who isn’t?

The cost of living support package has been put in place for 2022 and includes one-off payments to people on income related benefits, disabled claimants and pensioners.

NI Direct states that “You may be eligible for one, or more, of these Cost of Living Support Payments if you get certain benefits or tax credits.

“You do not need to do anything to apply. If you are eligible, you’ll be paid automatically in the same way you receive your normal benefit payments.

“These additional cost of living payments are not taxable and will not affect any of the benefits or tax credits you get.”

NOT ELIGIBLE £650 PAYMENT: It has now been clarified that those who are NOT entitled to the £650 Cost of Living Support payment include those currently receiving: Carers Allowance; New-Style Jobseeker’s Allowance; New-Style Employment and Support Allowance; Incapacity Benefit; Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit; Low income (means tested) benefits.

ELIGIBLE FOR £650 PAYMENT: You may get a Cost of Living Payment of £650, paid in two instalments, if you get any of the following: Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance; Income Support; Pension Credit; Universal Credit.

For those who will get the £650 payment it will come in two instalments. The first payment will be made from July 2022 and you will need to have been entitled to one of the qualifying benefits as of 25 May 2022 to be eligible for this.

The second payment will be made in the autumn. The Westminster Government has not yet announced the date on which you need to have been entitled to one of these qualifying benefits to get this. This page will be updated when this information becomes available.

NI Direct states: “If you have a joint claim with a partner, you will get one Cost of Living Payment, paid in 2 lump sums from July 2022 and again in the autumn, if eligible.

“You will not get a payment if you have already received a Cost of Living Payment because you were entitled to tax credits.

“If you get New-Style Employment and Support Allowance or New-Style Jobseeker’s Allowance, you will not be entitled to the Cost of Living Payment, unless you get Universal Credit or a disability benefit as well.

“However, if you also receive a qualifying disability benefit, you may get an additional Disability Cost of Living Payment.”

TAX CREDITS: You may get the Cost of Living Payment of £650, paid in two instalments, if you have an award for either of the following: Child Tax Credit; Working Tax Credit.

More details on when this will be paid, also in two instalments, are yet to be confirmed but it is expected to be later in the year.

DISABILITY BENEFITS: You may get a lump sum payment of £150 if you get any of the following: Attendance Allowance; Constant Attendance Allowance; Disability Living Allowance; Personal Independence Payment; Armed Forces Independence Payment; War Pension Mobility Supplement.

You will need to have been entitled to one of these qualifying benefits on 25 May 2022 to get the payment. These one-off payments will be issued in September 2022.

HELP FOR PENSIONERS: Pensioner households will receive an extra £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment this year to help them cover the rising cost of energy this winter.

If you are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2022 to 2023, you will get this extra £300 paid with your normal payment from November 2022.

This £300 is in addition to any Cost of Living Payment you may receive with your qualifying benefit or tax credits.

People will be eligible for this payment if they are over State Pension age (aged 66 or above) between 19 – 25 September 2022.

*You can use the Benefits Calculator to check your entitlements via www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/benefits-calculator