Cost of living payment or not ?

chrisofa

Hello all, 
Firstly I hope you are all doing well ? I have a question to ask if anyone may be able to answer. I currently have a live claim for Universal Credit and the LCWRA element .I have only received one payment since I started to claim in Nov 2022. This was paid into my account on January 29th 2023. I have not been entitled to a payment  there after January 29th as my wife works and our income with certain benefits on top means we have what we need to live on. So with me receiving that one payment do I qualify for the first cost of living payment ?

Many thanks ,stay blessed, Chris.

poppy123456

If your payments are usually on 29th of the month this means your assessment period dates are 23rd to 22nd of every month. Unfortunately, your January payment is outside of the criteria for the first cost of living payment of £301. Your Jan payment will be for assessment period 23rd Dec to 22nd Jan.

You must have been entitled to a payment of UC for an assessment period that ended between 26th Jan and 25th Feb 2023.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment#low-income-benefits-and-tax-credits-cost-of-living-payment

Your assessment period between 23rd Jan and 22 Feb (the qualifying one) resulted in being reduced to zero then there's no entitlement.

chrisofa

Hi Poppy, thank you for replying. Oh well I never had it so I haven’t lost anything.
 Many thanks , Chris