Who qualifies for the Cost of Living Payment

During the past few years, the Cost of Living Payment has been a vital support for millions of households across the United Kingdom.

It helped protect people against rising food prices, soaring energy bills, and general inflation pressures.

However, not everyone was eligible.

The scheme applied to specific groups — primarily those already receiving certain benefits or tax credits.

So, who exactly qualified for the Cost of Living Payment, and under what conditions?
Here’s a detailed explanation based on official government guidance.

Qualifying Benefits and Credits

To qualify for a Cost of Living Payment, you must have been entitled to one of the eligible benefits during an official “qualifying period.”

These benefits were managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The following benefits qualified recipients automatically:

• 💷 Universal Credit
• 💷 Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• 💷 Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• 💷 Income Support
• 💷 Pension Credit
• 💷 Working Tax Credit
• 💷 Child Tax Credit

If you received one of these benefits for at least one day within the official qualifying dates, you were eligible for that payment round.

However, not all benefit types were included.

For example, people receiving New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance or New Style Employment and Support Allowance were not eligible, as these are contributory benefits rather than means-tested.

Qualifying Periods and Payment Amounts

Each payment cycle had its own qualifying period — a short window of time when your benefit entitlement determined eligibility.

Here’s how it worked:

Payment Round	Amount	Qualifying Period (Benefit Entitlement)	Payment Window
1️⃣ First Payment (2023)	£301	26 Jan – 25 Feb 2023	25 Apr – 17 May 2023
2️⃣ Second Payment (2023)	£300	18 Aug – 17 Sep 2023	31 Oct – 19 Nov 2023
3️⃣ Third Payment (2024)	£299	13 Nov – 12 Dec 2023	6 – 22 Feb 2024

If your benefit entitlement covered any of those periods — even partially — you were included automatically.

The system verified your eligibility using the DWP and HMRC databases, ensuring accuracy and reducing the need for applications.

Exceptions and Ineligibility

While the system was designed to be broad, some claimants did not qualify for one or more reasons:

1️⃣ Nil Awards — If your Universal Credit was reduced to £0 for a specific period (for example, due to income or savings), you might not have been eligible. However, if your payment was £0 due to a deduction such as rent arrears or hardship payments, you might still have qualified.

2️⃣ Non-means-tested Benefits — Claimants of “New Style” JSA or ESA did not qualify, as these are contribution-based rather than income-based.

3️⃣ Timing Gaps — If you applied for a benefit after the qualifying period closed, you would not be included.

4️⃣ Household Duplication — Couples where both partners were on separate benefits would typically receive one payment per household, not per person.

These rules aimed to maintain fairness while avoiding duplicate payments across the welfare system.

Automatic Payment — No Application Required

One of the biggest advantages of the Cost of Living Payment scheme was its automatic delivery.
You did not need to apply, complete forms, or call a helpline to register.

The DWP and HMRC handled all payments automatically through the same system used for your existing benefits.

Payments appeared in bank accounts with references like:

DWP COLP (for DWP benefits)
HMRC COLS (for Tax Credit claimants)

If you believed you were eligible but didn’t receive the payment, the DWP provided an online reporting tool and telephone helpline.

📞 Universal Credit Helpline: 0800 328 5644
🔇 Textphone: 0800 328 1344
🌐 https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/contact-universal-credit

For tax credits or Pension Credit, you could contact HMRC or the Pension Service directly through GOV.UK channels.

Current Status (2025) and Future Outlook

As of 2025, the UK Government has confirmed that the national Cost of Living Payment scheme has ended.

The GOV.UK website explicitly states:

“The government is not planning to make any further Cost of Living Payments.”
— https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment

This means there are no new qualifying periods scheduled and no additional payments announced for this year.

However, support continues through other means-tested benefits and local initiatives, including:

• 🏠 Household Support Fund (via local councils)
• ❄️ Cold Weather Payment (£25 per freezing week, November–March)
• 💡 Winter Fuel Payment (£250–£600 for pensioners)
• 💷 Council Tax Reduction Schemes for low-income residents

❓FAQ — Who Qualifies for the Cost of Living Payment (UK)

1️⃣ Do I need to apply to qualify?
No — payments were automatic if you met eligibility criteria.

2️⃣ Can I qualify if my Universal Credit was £0 that month?
Only in limited cases, such as deductions for rent or debt. Standard £0 income adjustments did not qualify.

3️⃣ Which benefits made me eligible?
Universal Credit, Pension Credit, ESA (income-related), JSA (income-based), Income Support, and Tax Credits.

4️⃣ Are there any new qualifying dates in 2025?
No — the scheme has concluded, and no new dates have been announced.

5️⃣ What can I do if I missed a payment?
Contact DWP or HMRC using official GOV.UK channels to report a missing payment or confirm eligibility history.