Full list of benefits NOT eligible for £299 living expenses
MILLIONS of households aWe're lining up for the final payment for living expenses this week, but not everyone is getting the money.
Those on benefits, including Universal Credit, will receive the £299 payment directly into their bank account between now and February 22.
Some households may have already received their money when it was distributed on February 6.
Those who qualify for the tax-free payment do not need to do anything as it is done automatically.
But there are those who do not qualify for the help, such as those on PIP and Child Benefit.
We've rounded up the full list of benefits that aren't eligible for the £300 one-off living expenses payment.
- Attendance allowance
- Healthcare allowance
- Child benefits
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Contributory or “new style”, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Guardian allowance
- Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or “new style”
- Maternity benefit
- Personal independence allowance
- AOW
- Legal adoption, maternity, paternity and shared parental wages
- Statutory sick pay
You can only receive the free money if you receive at least one of the following benefits:
- Universal credit
- Income-related jobseeker's allowance
- Income-related employment and support benefit
- Income support
- Working tax benefit
- Child tax credit
- Pension credit
You must have been entitled to a payment of one of the qualifying benefits above between November 13 and December 12 to be eligible for the free money.
If you are found later between the same dates, you will also be eligible for the benefit.
Households with tax credits will only receive their payment from HMRC after the others have been paid by the DWP.
This payment will take place between February 16 and 22.
This is to ensure that those on other benefits and tax credits do not receive the payment twice.
The payment reference for bank accounts is the recipient's National Insurance Number, followed by DWP COL or HMRC COLS.
For example, if your NI number is JT 83 42 97B, your payment will appear on your bank statement as “JT 83 42 97B DWP COLP” or “JT 83 42 97B HMRC COLP”.
The first tranche of support of £900, worth £301, was paid out to more than eight million households in April and May last year.
The second installment, £300, was paid from October 31 to November 19.
It follows the £650 living costs payment paid to more than eight million people in 2022.
What other help is available?
If you don't qualify for the £299 living costs payment, or even if you do and still need help, other support is offered.
The Household Support Fund is worth £842 million and is shared between councils in England.
They then decide how to divide their portion.
But what you are entitled to depends on where you live, as each local authority sets its own eligibility criteria.
In the vast majority of cases, you are eligible if you are on benefits, have a low income or are struggling financially.
Contact your local council to see if assistance is offered.
You may also be able to claim a free subsidy from your energy company if you are struggling to pay.
British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF are among the major companies offering help.
Eligibility requirements vary depending on the company, but you will usually need to prove that you have energy debt or are experiencing fuel poverty.
The government classes fuel poverty, for example when a household has to spend a “large part” of its income to keep the temperature at a reasonable level.
It's worth checking whether you're also eligible for benefits, after the latest figures from analytics firm Policy in Practice show that £19 billion in support is going unclaimed every year.
There are several free online calculators you can use to find out what you may qualify for:
Not only can claiming benefits help you earn extra money from the benefits themselves, but it can also help you qualify for the £299 living expenses payment.
Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.
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