Second cost of living payment to be paid from 31 October – here's who qualifies

HillStreetBlues

wgill80 said:

Hi there wonder if anyone can help!
I’ve seen in this thread if you received a payment at the end of September then you will receive the COL payment and that payment for the end of September was for the qualifying period between 21st august and ended on 22nd September… 

so I was eligible in that time frame but the gov website states “period that ended in between those dates” for the September payment of UC the assembly period ended on 22nd September which is outside of that date given.

im a bit confused! 

Thanks! 

The dates are 18 August to 17 September 2023.
So 22nd Septemberis outside those dates, but if a person had a UC payment the previous month the 22nd August they would get a CoL payment.

wgill80

Thanks, but I just checked the gov website and it states this “To be eligible for the Cost of Living Payment from DWP, you need to have been entitled to a payment for a qualifying benefit between 18 August 2023 and 17 September 2023, or payment for an assessment period, ending between these dates”

I know my period end date (22nd September) is outside the 17th but since I was eligible during that time (18th august to 17th September) as stated above, surely I would be included? 

Thanks for the help! 

Spoonie_Turtle

wgill80 said:

Thanks, but I just checked the gov website and it states this “To be eligible for the Cost of Living Payment from DWP, you need to have been entitled to a payment for a qualifying benefit between 18 August 2023 and 17 September 2023, or payment for an assessment period, ending between these dates”

I know my period end date (22nd September) is outside the 17th but since I was eligible during that time (18th august to 17th September) as stated above, surely I would be included? 

Thanks for the help! 

Did you claim UC before, or was that your first assessment period?

The rules are as they say they are, you have to have been entitled for a month already at stone point within that period.  If you started your UC claim during that time then during the qualifying period you hadn't been entitled to UC for a whole month. 

Unfortunately there has to be a cutoff and it does mean some people miss out, just like with all the cost of living payments and with the energy discount each month last winter and all the other help that's been given.

poppy12345

wgill80 said:

I know my period end date (22nd September) is outside the 17th but since I was eligible during that time (18th august to 17th September) as stated above, surely I would be included? 

Thanks for the help! 

No, not if that was your first assesssment period because your AP will have ended after the qualifying period. If your AP end date is 22nd then your AP dates are 23 to 22nd of every month. If August the 23rd was the date you first claimed UC then you won't be entitled to this payment.

JMF80

Hi,

I am really confused about the cost of living payment and was hoping someone would be able to help?

My assessment period is

1st Aug to 31st Aug and I started working and did extra hours as I was training so it wiped out my UC in August so I’d normally get a payment around the 7th Sept which which was nil. 

My next assessment period is then 1st Sept to 30th Sept and I did my normal hours which gave me some money from UC which was then paid on the 7th Oct. So do I not fall in between the government’s assessment period as I did qualify for some money in Sept? 

If anyone can clarify that would be great?

Thank you in advance 

HillStreetBlues

JMF80 said:

Hi,

I am really confused about the cost of living payment and was hoping someone would be able to help?

My assessment period is

1st Aug to 31st Aug and I started working and did extra hours as I was training so it wiped out my UC in August so I’d normally get a payment around the 7th Sept which which was nil. 

My next assessment period is then 1st Sept to 30th Sept and I did my normal hours which gave me some money from UC which was then paid on the 7th Oct. So do I not fall in between the government’s assessment period as I did qualify for some money in Sept? 

If anyone can clarify that would be great?

Thank you in advance 

The only date with UC that matters is the end of assessment period, so for you the 31st Aug, as you have a nil award  then sadly you won't get this CoL payment.