Take bonus of £183 and risk losing £301 cost of living spring payment?

ReheatedChinese

My employer has kindly given us a backdated pay rise to assist with the cost of living but I am worried if I take it the £183 lump payment this month I will lose out on the spring cost of living payment. I am already borderline and only get around £200 a month. The following month I earn £500 less as my second job ends but my employer won't delay paying as they said it would be potentially fraudulent and my issue.
Is a bird in the hand worth 2 in the bush?  

NedS

How about asking your employer to pay the bonus into your pension for you so that you still receive it (plus tax relief on it) but reduce your net earnings for UC purposes?

Further, an increase in salary of £183 net will only reduce your UC by £183 x 0.55 = £100.65, so if you currently receive around £200/month UC, this would drop to around £100 for that month, still entitling you to the CoL payment.