BENEFITS EXPERT: When you should receive the remaining cost of living payments

“The remaining cost of living payment of £324 should be made from November 23 to November 30, 2022.”

For those readers who qualify for the cost of living payment by virtue of only receiving Tax Credits (whether Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credits or both but do not receive other means-tested benefits such as Income Based ESA, Income Based JSA or Income Support) then the remaining cost of living payment of £324 should be made from November 23 to November 30, 2022.

No action is required to claim, payment should be made automatically. Claimants must have been receiving Tax Credits during the period August 26 2022 to September 25 2022. Furthermore you must have already received the first cost of living payment of £326, so for example if you’ve only recently started to get Tax Credits and didn’t get the first cost of living payment because you weren’t getting Tax Credits at the time those payments were made you won’t get this payment.

There has also been changes for claimants who haven’t yet received their cost of living payment. This currently only applies to non-receipt of the first payment of the £650 cost of living payment i.e. £326.

Until recently you could report non-payment by using an online portal via the Gov. UK website. The online portal has however been closed apart from non-payment of the £150 payment for claimants who receive either DLA, PIP or AA.

Claimants expecting the cost of living payment due to receipt of the following benefits Income Support, Pension Credit, Income Based Employment Support Allowance, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or Universal Credit must now ring the relevant benefit office that deals the relevant benefit to report non-payment. Universal Credit claimants should have the option of either ringing or using their online journal. Those Universal Credit claimants reporting the missing payment via their online journal should use the “This is about a payment” option and not for example use the “Leave a message for my work coach” option.

For Tax Credit only claimants then again they can report the missing payment by contacting HMRC/Tax Credits phone number or if you use their online service you should be able to report the missing payment there as well.