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Why have I not received my £650 cost of living payment?

Millions are eligble for cash grant to help with cost of food, fuel and energy bills

Matt Mathers
Tuesday 02 August 2022 15:30 BST
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People who claim Universal Credit and other benefits and are eligible for the government's cost of living cash grant have been receiving their payments.

Money to help cover the cost of things such as food, electricity and heating bills are being paid to millions of people in two instalments of £326 and £324.

The government said that there was no need to apply for the payments.

Those eligbile for the cash would be paid "automatically" in the same way that they get their benefits of tax credits.

But what should you do if you haven't got yours?

The Department for Work and Pensions said the first payment for people on UC would be made between 14 and 31 July for "most people".

The second payment is expected in the autumn.

Officials have since warned, however, that there could be delays.

It also said that those who receive working tax credits won't get their first and second payments until the autumn and winter respectively.

If you think you should have had the £326 payment, but cannot see it in your bank or building society account, then you can report a missing cost of living payment at the following link.

For those who do not claim benefits, the government has laid out a number of other schemes to help Britons through the economic crisis.

People on any kind of disability benefit, from disability living allowance to the war mobility supplement, will receive £150 in September to help with their living expenses.

Every home across England, Scotland and Wales, meanwhile, will receive a £400 discount that will be automatically applied to their energy bills, beginning in October and spread out over six months.

Pensioners relying on the winter fuel payment will be given an extra £300 to ensure they do not have to choose between heating and eating.

The household support fund, originally only intended to run from October 2021 to March 2022, has also been extended until March 2023, with the government granting local authorities an extra £1.5bn to hand out over 18 months to residents they deem to be most in need of financial help.

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