The new £900 cash support for over eight million eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including people on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and tax credits, starts in the spring and will go directly to bank accounts in three payments, the DWP said.
The £900 payment will be made up of three slightly different amounts, relating to specific qualifying periods, making it simpler to determine if someone has received the correct payments, the department added.
There will also be a separate £150 payment for more than six million people with disabilities and £300 for over eight million pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments.
Exact payment windows will be announced closer to the time, the government said. The payment windows will approximately be:
- £301 – First cost of living payment – during Spring 2023
- £150 – Disability payment – during Summer 2023
- £300 – Second cost of living payment – during Autumn 2023
- £300 – Pensioner payment – during Winter 2023/4
- £299 – Third cost of living payment – during Spring 2024
