New update on qualifying dates for £301 cost of living payment due this Spring

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that over 8 million families across the country receiving means-tested benefits will automatically get a cost of living payment of £301 this Spring.

It also announced that over 6.5 million people on disability benefits will receive a £150 payment this Summer. More than 686,000 households in Scotland will be eligible for the £301 means-tested payment and 639,000 people on qualifying disability benefits are set to receive the £150 lump sum.

Earlier this week, MPs approved the Social Security (Additional Payments) (No.2) Bill at second reading and it will now undergo further scrutiny at a later date.

The Bill outlines the details of the £900 cost of living payment which is being made in three instalments over the next financial year and the £150 disability payment, but not the £300 pensioner cost of living payment as that will be added to the Winter Fuel Payments for 2023/24.It also confirms that the cost of living payments will have the “same set of qualifying benefits as previously” and, as before, some households will qualify for more than one type of payment.It adds that most payments will be made automatically, without the need to make a claim and all payments will again be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will have no impact on existing benefit awards.But for those waiting on the all-important qualifying period dates, which will determine whether someone is eligible for any of the £900 means-tested payments - £301, £300, £299 - or the £150 disability payment, these have still not been released.However, DWP has given a good reason why “precise qualifying and payment dates for means-tested and disability support have yet to be announced”.