Re cost of living payment update

Vegastare

I am sorry that coming in late to this but my MIL in her 80's is on Pension Credit and I see her each Wednesday - last week she mentioned she would get no help till Nov or Dec and is expecting Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount.  Should she get this and had first half, clearly she has no idea.  I filled a form in for council tax payment through the council couple months back and she has that. £150

She was used to going  in Post Office every Monday for pension and when this changed we arranged for it to go in her bank account and for a while she was struggling to get use to what we take for granted also she became so isolated during lockdown.  Am seeing her tomorrow so will look into it.  Would be grateful for help

poppy12345

Vegastare said:

I am sorry that coming in late to this but my MIL in her 80's is on Pension Credit and I see her each Wednesday - last week she mentioned she would get no help till Nov or Dec and is expecting Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount.  Should she get this and had first half, clearly she has no idea.  I filled a form in for council tax payment through the council couple months back and she has that. £150

She was used to going  in Post Office every Monday for pension and when this changed we arranged for it to go in her bank account and for a while she was struggling to get use to what we take for granted also she became so isolated during lockdown.  Am seeing her tomorrow so will look into it.  Would be grateful for help

To get the first Cost of Living Payment of £326, you must have been entitled to a payment of Pension Credit for any day in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022.

It was paid separately to your usual money and next to the payment was "DWP C O L"

You need to check her bank account to see if it was paid. If it wasn't then you can fill out this form here to report a missing CoL payment.  https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/report-a-missing-cost-of-living-payment/welcome

Vegastare

Thank you for this - it has gone through checked bank statement.

M.W

I am employed but my partner currently isn’t therefore we have been on a joint UC claim for some time now. I know there have been a lot of questions asked about this, but I can’t find an answer specific to our circumstance. I am confused about the col payment and the dates. We received UC in May for AP 15 April-14 May. In June we received UC for AP 15 May-14 June, are we eligible for this? I have submitted a lost payment form however I feel silly to contest this if the dates do not match with the criteria set out. Some clarification would be helpful. 

poppy12345

M.W said:

I am employed but my partner currently isn’t therefore we have been on a joint UC claim for some time now. I know there have been a lot of questions asked about this, but I can’t find an answer specific to our circumstance. I am confused about the col payment and the dates. We received UC in May for AP 15 April-14 May. In June we received UC for AP 15 May-14 June, are we eligible for this? I have submitted a lost payment form however I feel silly to contest this if the dates do not match with the criteria set out. Some clarification would be helpful. 

The guidance is quite clear. If you received a payment for any assessment period that ended between 26th April and 25th May then you're entitled to the first payment. If your payment during this assessment period was reduced to zero because of earnings then you're not entitled to the first payment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment

Bumblebee1814

So finally received a response from DWP that I was not eligible for the first CoL payment as I received a nil award during the relevant assessment period even though my entire UC payment is paid to my landlord for rent. 

calcotti

Bumblebee1814 said:

So finally received a response from DWP that I was not eligible for the first CoL payment as I received a nil award during the relevant assessment period even though my entire UC payment is paid to my landlord for rent. 

There is a difference between nil award and a nil payment made to you.
If there was a nil award then you would not qualify.
If you had an award but that award was paid to your landlord then you should have qualified.
Unfortunately there is no appeal mechanism for decisions about CoL but i would certainly go back to them if your statement shows that you were entitled to UC in that eligible period.

Bumblebee1814

It’s definitely nil payment and not nil award. My entire UC entitlement of approximately £470 goes straight my landlord and I pay an additional top-up for what isn't covered by UC. 

The letter they sent does refer to looking on my journal for more info around asking for a MR but not sure it applies to CoL payments. 

calcotti

Bumblebee1814 said:..The letter they sent does refer to looking on my journal for more info around asking for a MR but not sure it applies to CoL payments. 

Because the CoL is a passported benefit there are no appeal rights.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1097764/adm17-22.pdf

12. Additional cost of living payments1 are an entirely new benefit which are automatically passported from existing benefit entitlement. Therefore, there

1. is no entitlement decision and 

2. are no rights of appeal
in respect of these payments.

However your decision appears to be wrong so in your situation I would see if you can pursue it. If necessary involve your MPs office.

Bumblebee1814

Thanks Calcotti. I think I will raise this. I’ve also double checked with HMRC and my tax credits claim ended 25 April 2022, so there definitely is no overlap and I won’t receive any payment in September when other tax credits claimants will.