Five direct payments landing in bank accounts in February worth up to £1,574 – including cost of living cash
STRUGGLING households could be in line to get five payments directly to their bank accounts next month.
Each of the payments are from either the government or from local councils, and they could help you with your bills or groceries.
You won’t have long to wait either, as the first boost comes in the first week of February.
It comes as temperatures have dropped in recent weeks, and are likely to stay pretty low too.
Many of us will likely have our heating on for longer, which coupled with the energy price cap rise in January, means our bills will be higher.
Some of the payments on their way are designed for this specifically, such as cold weather payments and the Warm Home Discount.
Other help includes vouchers for your supermarket shop as well, through the Household Support Fund.
There is also the final instalment of the £900 cost of living payment too, of which millions are expected to get.
In total the cash amounts to a whopping £1,574.
It’s important to remember that eligibility criteria apply for each of the payments, and you might not be entitled to all of them.
Below we reveal each of the payments landing in your bank accounts in February and when you can expect them.
Cost of living payment – £299
Households on certain benefits, including Universal Credit, will receive the £299 cost of living payment directly into their bank accounts between February 6 and February 22.
Those eligible for the tax-free payment won’t have to do anything as it will be made automatically.
The full list of benefits that qualify people for the payment is:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based jobseekers allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Income support
- Working tax credit
- Child tax credit
- Pension credit
You need to have been entitled to a payment of any of the qualifying benefits above between November 13 and December 12 to be eligible for the free cash.
If you were later found to be entitled to any of the above benefits between the same dates you will also be eligible for the payment too.
Households on tax credits only will receive their payment from HMRC after the others paid by the DWP.
This is to ensure that those on other benefits and tax credits will not get the payment twice.
The £299 payment is the final of three payments that form the £900 support.
The first instalment worth £301 was paid out to over eight million households in April and May.
Warm Home Discount – £150
The Warm Home Discount scheme is paid to millions of low-income households each winter to help with increased heating costs.
Energy suppliers automatically dish out the discount – worth £150 – between October and March 31.
Households in England and Wales don’t have to apply to get the cash and receive it automatically.
The Warm Home Discount is distributed differently depending on how you pay for your energy use.
If you pay by direct debit or on receipt of your bill the Warm Home Discount will be added to your electricity account as a credit.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter, your energy firm will send you a voucher you can use to top up your meter and apply the £150 credit.
Some firms, such as Octopus and Utitita send two £75 vouchers instead, usually spread out but sometimes closer to one another.
If you’ve got a smart prepayment meter, your supplier will send the discount directly to your meter as a credit.
Energy providers have until March 31 to pay the cash which means many will likely receive it next month.
You’ll need to be a recipient of one or more of the following benefits to qualify:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Universal credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credits
- Pension credit guaranteed
- Pension credit savings credit
Cold weather payments – £75
Households across the UK are due payments worth up to £75 to cover the cost of heating.
Eligible households are paid £25 for every seven-day period where temperatures are, or forecast to be, below zero degrees Celsius on average.
The payments should arrive within 14 working days.
Payments are dished out between November 1 and March 31.
You can check if your area has had a cold weather payment by popping your postcode into the government’s tool on its website.
Because you receive £25 for each seven days of cold weather, it means you can get more than one payment.
Some areas have been known to receive £75 in total between November and March.
You’re eligible for a cold weather payment if you’re in receipt of one of the following benefits and meet certain criteria:
- Pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Universal Credit
- Support for mortgage interest
Depending on your specific circumstances, you may also need to meet one or more of the following additional criteria:
- Have a disability or receive pension premium
- Have a child who is disabled
- Receive child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- Have a severe or enhanced disability premium
- Receive a limited capability for work amount
- Have a child under five living with you
Regardless of employment, Universal Credit claimants are eligible if they have a disabled child amount in their claim.
You can find out more about eligibility on the government’s website.
Household Support Fund – up to £450
Another payment you could get comes as part of the Household Support Fund.
The government support is dished out from a pot of money worth £842million.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
The vouchers or grants on offer vary by location so you’ll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
Several schemes are dishing out cash or supermarket vouchers next month.
Households living in North Yorkshire need to act before February 21 to secure supermarket vouchers worth up to £450.
If you received a letter telling you that you’re eligible for a payment, you must select your e-vouchers by February 20.
Residents who received Housing Benefit on, or between, January 26, 2023, and February 25, 2023, but didn’t get the cost of living payment made in April and May 2023 for people on low-income benefits or tax credits can get the vouchers.
The nine different supermarkets people who are eligible can choose from are Aldi, ASDA, Farmfoods, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
Elsewhere, Ashford Borough Council is issuing eligible residents a minimum of £100 to help with energy costs.
If you think you might be eligible the application window is open from now until Wednesday, February, 7.
To be eligible for the funding you need to meet the following criteria:
- You must be a resident of the Borough of Ashford.
- You must be 16 years old or over.
- You must have a gross annual income of less than £40,000 before tax, including all benefits and employment income.
- You do not have more than £1000 in savings, not including funds you have identified for the payment of regular bills.
- You are responsible for paying utility bills for the property.
All applications must also be supported with a bank account statement for December to January 2024.
It states on the council website that payments will be made directly into the applicant’s bank account, on or around February, 10.
Winter Fuel Payment – £600
Millions on a state pension and other benefits are currently receiving the Winter Fuel Payment to help cover bills over the colder months.
The payment is tax-free and worth between £250 and £600, depending on your specific circumstances.
The amount you get includes a “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” – between £150 and £300.
In most cases, payments are made automatically, usually in November and December.
But the last possible day all automatic payments should have been made by is January 26.
If you haven’t received it by this date you need to act before March 31 – by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.
If you’re successful, you could get the cash in February, although it may take longer to process your application.
If you live in the UK, the phone number to call is 0800 731 0160 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Meanwhile, you can get in touch via post, which should be directed to: Winter Fuel Payment Centre, Mail Handling Site, A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LR.
In the vast majority of cases you don’t have to claim the Winter Fuel Payment, say for example if you receive any of the following benefits:
- State pension
- Pension credit
- Attendance allowance
- Personal independence payment (PIP)
- Carers allowance
- Disability living allowance (DLA)
- Income support
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Awards from the War Pensions Scheme
- Industrial injury disablement benefit
- Incapacity benefit
- Industrial death benefit
If you are not on one of the above, you will need to claim if either of the following applies:
- You’ve not received the winter fuel payment before
- You’ve deferred your state pension since your last winter fuel payment
Anyone who needs to apply for the Winter Fuel Payment has until March 31 to do so.
Meanwhile, here are the exact dates in 2024 millions will get cash boosts worth up to £3,299.
Plus, millions of Brits will want to be in the know ahead of 17 money changes set to hit this year.
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