Cost of Living payment 2024. Am I entitled?

Turtle_Powa

I'm wondering what people think

You are eligible for the Cost of Living Payment of £299 if you were entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of Universal Credit for an assessment period that ended in the period 13 November 2023 to 12 December 2023.

My Assessment dates around this period as follows

14 October to 13 November 2023

14 November to 13 December 2023

I haven't received any text messages from DWP either.

Am I correct in thinking I've just missed out on the payment by a grain of sand?

kaMelo

That depends, the assessment period that matters in your case would be October to November. Did you qualify for a payment of UC in that assessment period?

Turtle_Powa

Yes, Every month since September I've had a payment hit the bank account.

kaMelo

Then you qualify to receive the spring 2024 cost of living payment.

Turtle_Powa

Ok, Thanks 
I was thinking I may have just missed out with not receiving the DWP text. My son has had a message from them.

poppy12345

Not receiving a text doesn't mean you're not entitled. I've never received a text and have been entitled to all of them. 

Turtle_Powa

Oh, I didn't realise that Poppy.

The first COL payment at the start, I had NIL award and received no payment or text. The other times, I have been entitled and got texts so what I have based any assumptions off. I had no idea that texts don't matter or may not receive one when entitled.

Newcad

The texts are only a kind of advertising, they just say when it will be paid - note that they don't say anything at all about if the person who got sent the text qualifies and wiil get one or not.

The one I got just says:

The £299 Cost of Living Payment will be paid automatically from 6 February to 22 February. For more information search online for DWP Cost of Living Payment.

Which isn't anything that we didn't know anyway so they could have saved the money and not bothered

Turtle_Powa

I see your point on the wording.
I have read at a few places now that not receiving the text doesn't mean I'm excluded. I'm glad I popped by to ask here. 👍

scottleag

Newcad said:

The texts are only a kind of advertising, they just say when it will be paid - note that they don't say anything at all about if the person who got sent the text qualifies and wiil get one or not.

The one I got just says:

The £299 Cost of Living Payment will be paid automatically from 6 February to 22 February. For more information search online for DWP Cost of Living Payment.

Which isn't anything that we didn't know anyway so they could have saved the money and not bothered

TBF a lot of people might be unaware of or even forgotten about the payment seeing as the last one was made before Xmas. Receiving the text means people will know to start checking their account from tomorrow and as the text gives the end date Feb 22 also lets people know when to start asking where it is if they haven't received it by then. 

gbhxu

Hope we don't have people showing off if they get theirs tomorrow or complaining they haven't got theirs