The second cost of living payment is to be paid from 31 October.
Over eight million households on certain benefits and tax credits will receive their second cost of living payment from 31 October, the Government has confirmed.
When you’ll be paid the second £300 cost of living payment
The £900 grant – which you DON’T need to apply for – is being paid in three chunks of all slightly different amounts, all of which will be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap and will not have any impact on your existing benefits. The first instalment, which was £301, was paid from 25 April. The second instalment of £300 is due this autumn and a third instalment of £299 will be paid next spring.
Here’s when you’ll get the second payment:
| Benefit(s) you get | When you should get your £300 payment |
| Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit ONLY (without other benefits on top) | Between 10 and 19 November 2023 |
| Any of the below (with or without tax credits on top): – Income Support – Income-based jobseeker’s allowance – Income-related employment and support allowance – Pension Credit – Universal Credit | Between 31 October 2023 and 19 November 2023 |
Key qualifying dates to get the new payment
To get the £300, you need to have been paid (or have been eligible for a payment of) one of the benefits listed above for any day between 18 August 2023 and 17 September 2023.
This means that you may be eligible for this payment even if you didn’t receive last year’s £650 cost of living payment or this year’s first cost of living payment.
If you’re on low-income benefits, such as Universal Credit, you’re entitled to the cost of living payment
You are eligible for the cost of living payment if you are entitled to any of the following:
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit – unless your Universal Credit was reduced to £0 for the entire period between 18 August 2023 to 17 September 2023. This is sometimes called a ‘nil award’ and can happen where you or your partner’s earnings or savings go up, you start getting another benefit or you get paid more than one set of wages within that period.
- Working Tax Credit
Click here for more information.
