How do I apply for the autumn DWP £300 payment and am I eligible?
Charlie Bond
Netmums contributorThe second £300 Cost of Living payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is due between 31 October and 19 November 2023.
It feels like it’s been a long time coming, but the exact dates for the second Cost of Living payments have finally been announced by the DWP.
This £300 payment is the second of 3 payments totalling £900 for the 2023/2024 year, with the first payment of £301 reaching recipients in April 2023 and the final payment of £299 being made in spring 2024.
The autumn Cost of Living payment is due to arrive between 31 October and 19 November.
Here’s what you need to know about when exactly to expect your payment, who’s eligible, and application details.
- DWP clarifies who is NOT eligible for the autumn £300 DWP payment
- How will I be paid the second £300 DWP Cost of Living payment?
- One-off £100 to help with the cost of living
- DWP £600 payout to help with fuel bills
Who gets the autumn Cost of Living payment?
You need to be on certain benefits in order to qualify for Cost of Living payments, but if you currently receive – or did during the qualifying period – any of the following benefits or tax credits you should get the payment:
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
Which benefits don’t qualify for the payment?
While lots of people will get the £300 when it’s paid out, there’s also a list of benefits that don’t qualify. These include:
- Attendance allowance
- Carer's allowance
- Child benefit
- Disability living allowance (DLA)
- Contributory, or "new style", employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Guardian's allowance
- Contribution-based, or "new style", jobseeker's allowance (JSA)
- Maternity allowance
- Personal independence payment
- State pension
- Statutory adoption, maternity, paternity and shared parental pay
- Statutory sick pay
What other circumstances mean I'm NOT eligible?
You will not be eligible for the second Cost of Living Payment if your benefit is reduced to £0 for the qualifying period. This is sometimes called a ‘nil award’.
Reasons your benefit may be reduced to £0 include:
- you got more than one payment of earnings in your Universal Credit assessment period
- your or your partner’s earnings went up
- your or your partner’s savings went up
- you started getting another benefit
- you got a ‘sanction’ because you did not do something you agreed in your claimant commitment
You may still be eligible for a Cost of Living Payment if your benefit is reduced to £0 and 1 of the following applies:
- money was taken off your benefit for other reasons, such as payments of rent to your landlord or for money that you owe
- you had a hardship payment because you could not pay for rent, heating, food or hygiene needs
You will not be eligible for the Cost of Living Payment if your tax credits entitlement for the tax year is below £26.
If you’re getting both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, you will receive a Cost of Living Payment for Child Tax Credit only, which will be paid by HMRC.
If you’re getting tax credits from HMRC and a low income benefit from DWP, you cannot get a Cost of Living Payment from both HMRC and DWP. You will usually be paid by DWP only.
Can I get the payment if my circumstances have changed?
Even if you didn’t get the first Cost of Living payment, if your circumstances have changed and you now get 1 of the above benefits, you might be able to get the second payment.
The DWP bases who gets the payment on a ‘qualifying period’ which was between 18 August and 17 September 2023.
If you were receiving eligible benefits during that time then you should get the Autumn Cost of Living payment.
Do I need to apply for the autumn Cost of Living payment?
You do not need to apply for Cost of Living payments. They are paid automatically to those who are eligible.
Like with some other benefits and entitlements, where your money comes from will vary.
If you get Tax Credits from HMRC and also a low-income benefit from DWP, you will be paid by DWP only.
If you are getting both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, you will receive the £300 for Child Tax Credit only, which will be paid by HMRC.
If you think you should qualify for the payments and haven’t received anything, you can go here.
SCAM warning
There have been reports of Cost of Living and other DWP benefit text scams.
The scams have encouraged people to click on a link and share personal information to 'apply' to Cost of Living and other payments and benefits, however these payments do NOT need to be applied for.
What's the full cost of living payment schedule for 2023?
- £301 paid between April 25 and May 17 for most people on DWP means-tested benefits. Qualifying period was January 26 to February 25.
- £301 paid between May 2 and 9 for most people on HMRC tax credits and no other means-tested benefits. Qualifying period was January 26 to February 25.
- £150 paid between June 20 and July 4 for people on disability benefits. Qualifying date was April 1.
- £300 paid during Autumn 2023 for people on means-tested benefits – See above dates
- £300 paid in November and December to pensioners who get Winter Fuel Payment
- £299 paid during Spring 2024 for people on means-tested benefits – no exact dates yet announced
What if I'm not eligible?
If you're not eligible for Cost of Living payments, there are other financial schemes that could help.
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is financial help provided to struggling households via the local council.
HSF help available varies from council to council and could be in the form of cash grants, supermarket vouchers or even energy saving appliances which could help save you money, such as air fryers.
The money is a grant and does not need to be paid back. You can see what's available in many areas of the country here or contact your local council for further details.
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Who will get the £300 DWP autumn Cost of Living payment first?
What are the DWP Cost of Living payments… and am I eligible?
