Who is qualified for the £900 cost of living allowance and when will it be paid?

The Government's cost of living package is approximately £26 billion in 2023-24, while benefits uprating to working-age families and persons with disabilities is worth £11 billion. Chancellor of the Exchequer in the UK Jeremy Hunt stated in his announcement on Thursday, we will also grant an additional £1 billion in cash to enable a further 12-month extension of the Household Support Fund, assisting local authorities in assisting people who might otherwise slip between the cracks. The million-dollar question, though, is who is qualified for this cost-of-living payment.

Who is eligible for the £900 living allowance?

More than eight million households on means-tested benefits in the UK are expected to be eligible for the additional £900 cost of living payments in 2023-2024.

The money are supposedly paid in many installments, which will be revealed later. The HMRC and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will announce the timing and eligibility dates for these payments in the coming days.

Who is eligible for non-means-tested Disability benefits?

Over six million individuals in the UK get non-means-tested disability payments, and they will receive an additional £150 in Disability Cost of Living Payments by next year. Because low-income retiree households do not qualify for means-tested benefits, the government has chosen to provide them with universal assistance to cover the additional expenditures they face.

FAQs:

1. When will benefits be distributed to qualified households?
   The dates and hours for the payments have still to be announced by the DWC and HMRC.
2. Will the receiver be required to pay taxes?
   The funds are tax-free and will have no impact on benefit limitations or existing benefit awards. It will be distributed throughout the United Kingdom.