How to report missing cost of living payments worth up to £1,350 – exact codes to spot
MILLIONS received cost of living payments worth up to £1,350 – but some households may have missed out on the much-needed cash.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) delivered grants to millions of households – with the last landing in accounts in February.
The cash boost was available to anyone claiming Universal Credit and certain other means-tested benefits, with other payments for pensioners and those with disabilities too.
Those eligible should have been received the payments directly into their bank accounts.
There were three different types of cash support depending on household circumstances and eligibility, they were:
- A cost of living payment worth up to £900
- A disability cost of living payment worth £150
- A pensioner cost of living payment (if you are entitled to a winter fuel payment) worth up to £300
In total, they were worth £1,350, though not everyone was entitled to all the payments as eligibility varied.
All of the payments were tax-free and do not affect the benefits or tax credits you get.
If you think you should have received these payments and haven’t, you can report them missing to the DWP.
Anyone who missed any of the payments are now able to report it missing.
That means you could claim the missing payments and get a cash injection straight into your bank account.
Here’s everything you need to know about reporting a missing payment.
How to spot a missing cost of living payment
Each cost of living payment has a unique code that you’ll be able to spot on your bank statement – we have outlined them below below.
Cost of living – up to £900
The cost of living payments were made in three instalments of £301, £300 and £299.
The first two payments were made in May and September of 2023 and the final payment of £299 went out in February.
What you need to look out for on your bank statement to spot the payment is your national insurance number followed by either DWP COL or HMRC COLS.
Disability cost of living – £150
The disability cost of living payment was paid to six million people with disabilities last summer.
You had to be receiving certain benefits to qualify for this payment and we have listed them here.
If you want to make sure that you have not missed out on the disability cost of living payment you need to look at your bank statement.
The payment will show up as your national insurance number followed by DWP COL and the payment was made around June 2023.
Pensioner cost of living – up to £300
A £300 pensioner cost of living payment was also made during the winter.
If you were entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment for Winter 2023 to 2024, you will get the extra cash paid with your normal payment.
The last day of automatic payments was on January 26, so you need to take action now if you haven’t received yours.
The code to look out for if you live in Great Britain is your national insurance number followed by DWP WFP.
If you live in Northern Ireland it is slightly different and the code to spot is your national insurance number followed by DFC WFP.
How to report a missing cost of living payment
If you think that you should have received a cost of living payment but cannot see it on your bank statement you can report it.
To report a missing payment you can do so on the government’s website, and you will need your National Insurance number to hand.
The DWP has a specific form set to to report missing cost of living payments.
Before reporting a missing payment you should make sure you check your bank, building society, or credit union account.
You must also not report the same missing payment more than once.
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