The pensions and benefits department shared the update on its GOV.UK page, which detailed the cost of living payments which were paid to low-income households between 2022 and 2024
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an official update on whether further cost of living payments would be introduced under Labour.
The pensions and benefits department shared the update on its GOV.UK page, which detailed the cost of living payments which were paid to low-income households between 2022 and 2024. These were a series of one-off payments that the former Conservative government made to certain groups that were struggling as energy bills and inflation skyrocketed to record-breaking levels. Over the two years, low-income households received payments worth £326, £324, £301, £300 and £299.
Disabled households received two payments worth £150, and pensioner households were entitled to payments of either £150 or £300. These cost of living payments were added to the Winter Fuel Payments of 2022-23 and 2023-24 giving older households up to an extra £600 to help cover energy costs over the winter.
Even though no more official payments have been confirmed since they stopped last year, rumours have continued to circulate online.
However, the DWP has now confirmed officially that there will be no more cost of living payments going forward. In its update on May 6, the department said: “DWP is not planning to make any more Cost of Living Payments.”
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Households who are worried about the cost of living should take a look at the govenrment-funded Household Support Fund scheme.
First launched in 2021 and run by the DWP, the Household Support Fund scheme gives local councils pots of cash to support struggling households in their area. Each authority decides how it wants to spend the money, and help can range from free cash payments to supermarket vouchers.
The scheme was meant to end in March this year, however, it was extended by the Labour government for an extra year with another £742million worth of funding. It will now be in place until March 2026.
You can only claim support from your local council, which means it can be a postcode lottery for the help you can get. Local councils have now shared what help they will be offering over the coming months for this year’s Household Support Fund. Each council details this on its website alongside its eligibility criteria. Usually, they have a separate cost of living tab that details the help on offer.
Each council will also have a different application process for the scheme. Some ask you to apply online, while others ask you to apply over the phone. Some councils are also reaching out to those eligible directly.
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