DWP: Full list of claimants excluded from £301 cost of living payment

CHECK THE DETAILS: The first part of the £900 support package will be paid this year between April 25 and May 17 (Photo by Getty Images/Tetra images RF)

By Ruby Flanagan

Starting this month, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is scheduled to distribute the first instalment of its £900 cost of living support for 2023/24, amounting to £301.

The money will help millions of Britons who are struggling financially due to the inflation crisis, with the remaining two payments of £300 and £299 scheduled to be made in the fall and spring of next year. However, not all beneficiaries will be eligible to receive the payment scheduled to be distributed between April 25 and May 17.

The Mirror reports that individuals receiving means-tested benefits - where income is considered - will be granted the payment as per DWP guidelines. On the other hand, those receiving other types of benefits, such as contribution-based benefits, will not be eligible.

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If you only claim one of the following benefits, you won't be able to get the cost of living payment:

• Attendance Allowance
• Carer's Allowance
• Child Benefit
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Contributory or New style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Guardian's Allowance
• Contribution-based or New style Jobseeker's Allowance
• Maternity Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State pension

However, individuals receiving such benefits may still qualify for other forms of government assistance, such as the DWP's £150 disability cost of living payment or the £300 sum available for certain pensioners.

If you claim any of the following benefits, you can expect to be paid the £150 later this year:

• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance for adults
• Disability Living Allowance for children
• Personal Independence Payment
• Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
• Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• War Pension Mobility Supplement

Meanwhile, if you're of state pension age and you normally get a Winter Fuel Payment, you will also receive the pensioner cost of living payment of up to £300 on top of this. The exact dates for these payments have not yet been confirmed by the DWP.

If you are claiming one of the following benefits, you will be getting the first instalment of the State Pension cost of living payment:

• Universal Credit
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Pension Credit

To qualify for the £301 payment, you must have been eligible for the benefit between January 26 and February 25 or have received a payment for an assessment period within this time frame. Additionally, it is important to be aware that if you are later discovered to be entitled to one of these benefits during this period, you will also receive the cost of living payment.

Low-income pensioners who are not currently receiving Pension Credit may still be eligible for the £301 payment if they backdate their Pension Credit application by May 19. However, it is worth noting that individuals whose benefits are reduced to £0 during the qualifying period, also known as a "nil award," will not be eligible for the cost of living payment.

If you receive Universal Credit, your benefit may be reduced to £0 for various reasons. For instance, this may occur if you receive more than one payment of earnings, your earnings or your partner's earnings increase, you or your partner's savings increase, or you start receiving another benefit.

It is important to note that if deductions have been made for reasons such as rent payments to your landlord or debt repayments, you may still be eligible for the cost of living payment.

You can get further details regarding your benefits on the GOV.UK website here.

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