MORE than half a million Brits on Universal Credit missed out on a summer cost-of-living payment – but here’s how you can claim.
The struggling people on the benefit didn’t get the £326 which is aimed at helping with rocketing energy bills to assist with the cost of living crisis.
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The payment was the first half of a total £650 to be handed out to people on benefits.
The fund was brought in by the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in July which would go to eight million people on benefits to show them “we are on their side”.
Government ministers now say 551,000 claimants missed out simply because they earned too much from work.
This may have happened because some of them had two paydays fall in the same 30-day qualifying period because their wages are paid every four weeks, according to Labour.
Due to this, their income was temporarily too high to get a cost of living payment, even though it would usually be much lower.
A total of 6,600 Universal Credit claimants were also refused the £326 payment because they got a benefit sanction.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has refused to ditch the policy but said anyone who had a “nil award” can appeal and get the cash retrospectively.
Not all the 5.6m people who claim Universal Credit will get the benefit paid every month because UC drops by 55p for every £1 they earn through work.
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The claimants’ earnings are assessed monthly and they are given a “nil award” if their pay is too high.
That can happen if they get two pay checks within the 30-day period, or if they are hit with a benefit sanction for “failing” to actively look for work.
Anyone who received a “nil award” between April 26 and May 25 was denied the £326 cost of living payment.
Benefit claimants are due to get the second cost of living payment worth £324 from November 8.
Universal Credit claimants who had a ‘nil award’ in the second qualifying period, August 26 to September 25, will also miss out.
Another 470,000 people claiming housing benefit did not get the £326 because they were not claiming one of the benefits that qualifies for targeted cost of living support.
But Universal Credit claimants who received a “nil award” because their benefits were deducted to repay debts were able to get the £326.
A DWP spokesperson said: “Cost of living payments have been designed to target support for households with low incomes, on means-tested benefits.
“But inevitably a small number will be ineligible on the qualification dates of a change of income, earnings or other circumstances.
All claimants have the right to appeal their entitlement.”
The DWP also highlighted a £500m hardship fund and the £2,500 price cap introduced by PM Liz Truss to help with household energy bills.
The former Sainsbury’s boss Justin King slammed the cap, telling Sky News: “I don’t think the Government should be giving to those people who can afford to pay their bills – so it can give more money to those who are going to struggle.”
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