THOUSANDS of households who missed out on the £650 cost of living payment can get the cash into bank accounts now.
Local authorities are using cash from the Household Support Fund to pay those that are eligible.
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Millions of hard-up households received a £650 cost of living payment made up of two instalments last year.
Households on certain benefits were paid the first instalment worth £326 in July and the second worth £324 in November.
Anybody receiving the following benefits was eligible for the full £650 payment:
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
To have been eligible for the first instalment, you needed to have been claiming at least one of the above benefits on May 25.
And to have been eligible for the second instalment you needed to have been entitled, or later found to be entitled to any of these benefits, between August 26 and September 25 this year.
But thousands of households missed out on the cost of living cash because they were on benefits which weren’t eligible for the support – including housing benefit and council tax support.
Several local authorities are now paying thousands of households who missed out on the payment with money from the Household Support Fund – but some will need to apply.
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The scheme was first established last year and extended for a second time in the March budget to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
But the Household Support Fund has been extended for a third time past April 2023 with a renewed £1billion fund.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
And the vouchers or grants on offer vary by location and you’ll have to check to see how your council will pay you.
Eligibility requirements will also vary depending on where you live – so check directly with your council if you could get the cash help.
Here’s a list of the councils paying households up to £650 in free cash direct to bank accounts.
Manchester City Council
Manchester residents in receipt of housing benefit but no other DWP or HMRC benefits (e.g. Universal Credit or tax credits) are eligible for up to £650 in extra help.
This is because those who only claim housing benefit were not eligible for the £650 DWP cost of living payment.
These households should soon receive a letter from Manchester City Council inviting them to claim a Household Support Fund Payment.
You may be eligible for extra help from the Household Support Fund of up to £650.
The council is also paying those who did not receive the first instalment of the £650 payment £326 if they were found to later be entitled to pension credit and Universal Credit.
Residents who did not get the first instalment of the cost of living payment in July but have since become entitled to pension credit can get a £326 payment.
New claims must have started after May 26 2022 to be eligible for the cash.
Manchester City Council is also considering applications from residents who missed the government’s first cost of living payment either because they received a nil award of Universal Credit during the qualifying period, or because their Universal Credit claims began between April 26, 2022, and August 26 2022.
But due to a limited amount of funding, the council is not currently considering applications from residents whose Universal Credit claims began on or after August 27, 2022.
If your household is eligible, the council will send you a letter notifying you that you need to apply for the free cash on their website.
The online form will allow you to share your bank account details with Manchester City Council so that they can pay you the cash directly.
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council has received almost £2.9 million from the Government’s Household Support Fund to support vulnerable households and individuals.
The Council will use the fund to support residents receiving housing benefit who were not entitled to the full £650 cost of living payment from the government in July and November 2022.
If you are eligible, the Council’s Revenues and Benefits department will write to explain the amount you’re eligible for and how the cash will be paid.
All letters have been posted however, the delivery may have been affected by the postal strikes – so keep a look out.
Depending on your circumstances, the payments will be between £300 and £650 and will be paid over two equal instalments.
Payments started being issued at the end of December 2022 and will continue until the end of this month.
North Yorkshire County Council
Households in North Yorkshire on housing benefit on or between August 26 2022 and September 25 2022, but did not qualify for the second cost of living payment worth £324 will receive a single e-voucher worth £325.
People who are eligible will get a single Household Support Fund e-voucher payment to pay for food and other essentials over the coming months.
Residents do not need to get in touch with the council as it will write to everyone who meets the eligibility criteria.
Everyone who is eligible will receive a letter by January 16. The letter will include information about how to claim and use the e-voucher.
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Sandwell Council has received £3.4million to help residents between October 2022 and March 2023.
Around £325,000 of this funding will be used to help 500 low-income households that missed out on the £650 cost of living payment because they weren’t on a qualifying benefit.
There’s no need to apply for the Household Support Funding mentioned above – payments will be made automatically to eligible households this winter.
You’ll be notified if eligible and should expect to receive the cash directly into your bank account.
