Cost of Living Payments July 2022

CJP230905

I recieve Employment & Support Allowance and are in the support group. Can anyone help me please? I'm trying to find out if i qualify for the cost of living payment. I've asked and researched everywhere. I hope someone can help me. Thank You

Spoonie_Turtle

It depends on whether any of your ESA is income-related or not.

If you receive more than £117.60 per week then definitely at least some of it is income-related.  If not, it will depend on what your letters say.

poppy12345

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

CJP230905

Thank you both for replying to my question. All i receive is £114.10 PW. The letter i have say's nothing apart from i'm in the support group. This assessment is based on my NI contribution record. I'm still unsure, but again, thanks for replying to my question 

Danien

Sorry, no, you won't be getting it. It's because you may have other sources of income or a partner with income, or savings. 

Spoonie_Turtle

I'm not an expert on the different types of ESA but it sounds like yours is not income-related which means you won't be getting the CoL payment. 

This is because income-related is means-tested but contribution-based/new-style ESA is not, and the CoL payment is for those deemed to be on a low income as determined by the means test.

If ESA is your only income you should check eligibility for UC.  [If you live with a partner then any earnings/savings they have will be taken into account, because it goes on joint financial situation.]

CJP230905

Thanks to everyone for helping me with this. Yes, my wife has an income. However, she does not pay tax as she does not earn enough. Who makes these rules?? Oh i forgot, our MP's. Thats a joke hey. So many people living on the bread line. So many people who have to decide to eat, heat or die because they can't afford ALL of this. I had a well payed job and payed taxes all my life. Never asking for anything in return. Now i'm out of work due to my mental health and struggling to survive. How can our so called goverment turns their back on so many thousands of law abiding citizens. Shame on them. I should stop there before i say something i may regret. Thank you though to all of you who helped me with your comments.

atlantis187

CJP230905 said:

Thanks to everyone for helping me with this. Yes, my wife has an income. However, she does not pay tax as she does not earn enough. Who makes these rules?? Oh i forgot, our MP's. Thats a joke hey. So many people living on the bread line. So many people who have to decide to eat, heat or die because they can't afford ALL of this. I had a well payed job and payed taxes all my life. Never asking for anything in return. Now i'm out of work due to my mental health and struggling to survive. How can our so called goverment turns their back on so many thousands of law abiding citizens. Shame on them. I should stop there before i say something i may regret. Thank you though to all of you who helped me with your comments.

And people never learn their lesson and keep voting them in again and again

poppy12345

CJP230905 said:

 All i receive is £114.10 PW.

That was the rate before the April increase. It's now £117.60/week.

CJP230905 said:

Thanks to everyone for helping me with this. Yes, my wife has an income. However, she does not pay tax as she does not earn enough. Who makes these rules?? Oh i forgot, our MP's. Thats a joke hey. So many people living on the bread line. So many people who have to decide to eat, heat or die because they can't afford ALL of this. I had a well payed job and payed taxes all my life. Never asking for anything in return. Now i'm out of work due to my mental health and struggling to survive. How can our so called goverment turns their back on so many thousands of law abiding citizens. Shame on them. I should stop there before i say something i may regret. Thank you though to all of you who helped me with your comments.

Unfortunately, paying taxes all your life doesn't help you here. The CoL payment is not paid to those claiming Contributions based benefits because there would be no way of them checked everyone's circumstances.

Have you checked entitlement to Universal Credit? As it's a means tested benefit you will need to claim as a couple and both your circumstances will be taken into consideration. Use a benefits calculator to check entitlement. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=c42f03bc-a52b-4d55-9e90-4f22bcdb96f1

As you're in the Support Group for ESA then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. Your ESA will continue as normal but be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

You will also be entitled to the work allowance, which means a certain amount of earnings from your partner will be ignored before the 55% deductions apply.

If you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 you're excluded from claiming.