Those who have NOT received their first £326 cost of living payments can now complain to the DWP

THOSE WHO DID NOT receive their £326 Cost of Living Payment in July can now complain to the DWP.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released an update saying Tax Benefit claimants can now complain if they have not received their payment.

A cost of living allowance of £650 was first issued by the former chancellor Rishi Sunak to help poor families.

It is to be paid in two installments – the first £326 was issued in July.

Those on Working Tax Benefit and Child Tax Benefit received their first payment last time – between 2 and 7 September.

The second installment for those on tax relief is due in winter, although the government has yet to confirm a specific month or date.

But last month, about one million people who benefit from tax credits had not yet received their first payment.

A new guide to government website states: “Tax relief claimants can now tell HMRC if they believe they should have received £326 of Cost of Living Allowance but cannot see it in their bank, building society or credit union account.”

Am I entitled to cost of living allowance?

Millions of people on benefits are due to receive a cost of living payment of £650, including:

• Universal credit
• Income-based JSA
• Income-related ESAs
• Income support
• Pension loan
• Tax benefits

If you are in a tax benefit bracket, to be entitled to the first payment of £326, you must be entitled or later found to be entitled between 26 April and 25 May this year:

• payment of tax credits
• an annual award of at least £26 in tax credits

There are two types of tax credit – Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.

If you get both, you’ll only get £650 in Child Tax Credit.

If you receive tax relief from HMRC and Low Income Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), you will only receive Cost of Living Payment from DWP.

How to report non-payment?

There is a form to fill in that can be found on the DWP website here.

You will need to have your National Insurance number with you.

And if you have already reported a non-payment, you should wait for the DWP to respond to you. You do not need to fill out another form.

But make sure you check your bank, building society or credit union account or Payment Exception Service voucher receipt first to be sure.

What other help can I get?

If you are eligible for this payment, you may be eligible for some others.

We have listed a few for you here.

Disability Living Allowance of £150

Former chancellor Rishi Sunak said this in May six million disabled Britons will receive £150 from September 20.

The money is intended to cover the costs of operating the house’s energy-intensive equipment.

For many incapacity benefit recipients who receive means-tested benefits, the £150 will be on top of the £650 they would receive separately.

Automatic payments will be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit limit and will not affect existing benefits.

£150 tax credit

In February, the government announced that it would offer a council discount to combat rising electricity bills.

The £150 payment is for people whose homes fall within AD council tax rates, and local councils are responsible for deciding who is eligible and making the payments.

The government set a deadline for all payments until September 30, and the payments began as early as April.

Many people who pay their council tax bill by direct debit have already been paid in cash directly into their bank accounts.

But thousands who don’t have to apply for £150 from their local authority.

You can find your local authority using the handy government tool.

Some households have yet to receive their payments, but councils have provided information on when residents in these areas should expect to receive them.

£150 from the discretionary fund of £144 million

Thousands of people who are not eligible for council tax relief could get up to £150 in free cash to help with the rising cost of living.

Separate Fund of 144 million pounds a scheme has also been launched that local councils can allocate to vulnerable and low-income families in their area.

An estimated 4.7 million households are in EH tax bands, so will not get the discount automatically, but can still claim the voluntary payment.

Local authorities issue cash in different ways, and the amount you receive and who is eligible may vary depending on where you live.

You can find your local council on the government website.

A living wage of £300

In November or December of this year a A lump sum payment to a pensioner of £300 will be distributed to eight million households.

It will be received by those already in receipt of Winter Fuel Payment – which costs between £100 and £300 for those over the state pension age.

An extra £300 will be paid directly on top of this support, meaning some eligible families will see their benefits doubled this winter.

Here you can check if you are eligible for the winter fuel payment handy explainer.

Household Support Fund of £200

The program of the Household Support Fund aims to help those who have financial difficulties and cannot cover the basic needs.

The scheme is a part State Household Support Fund which was first introduced in October 2021.

It was recently extended until September 30, 2022 as millions face a prolonged cost of living crisis.

In May of this year Chancellor Rishi Sunak invested an additional £500 million in the scheme. A total of £1.5 billion was allocated.

The money is distributed among themselves local councilwith to help those in need locally.

Each council determines how to use its budget to help local residents, many of whom have previously been given supermarket and fuel vouchers or one-off cash payments.

Not all residents can get support due to legal requirements, so it’s best to check your local council’s website.