Cost-of-living payment landing in bank accounts from today

The second of three cost-of-living payments has started landing in people’s bank accounts.

If you’re eligible, you should receive the latest £300 instalment any time between now and 19 November.

There are three standard cost-of-living payments worth £900 in total. A payment of £301 was made in Spring this year. You can expect the second £300 instalment any day. And the third payment worth £299 is due in Spring next year.

Who qualifies for cost-of-living payments?

To be eligible, you must be claiming at least one of the following benefits:

• universal credit
• pension credit
• income support
• income-related employment and support allowance
• income-based jobseekers’ allowance
• working tax credit
• child tax credit

If you’re expecting the money but it doesn’t arrive, you can report missed payments online.

Beware of scams

Cost-of-living payments are made automatically, meaning you don’t need to apply.

Beware of emails or texts about cost-of-living payments that claim to be from the Department for Work and Pensions and ask you for personal details. These will almost certainly be scams.

The payment reference on your bank statement will be your national insurance number followed by DWP COL or HMRC COLS.

Extra support for pensioners

If you live in a household with an eligible pensioner, you’ll also get an extra £300 cost-of-living payment on top of your winter fuel payment later this year.

Extra support for people receiving disability benefits

There's also an extra £150 cost-of-living payment for people getting a qualifying disability benefit. If you qualify, you should have already received this payment. Most people received theirs between 20 June and 4 July this year.