At the start of the year 2025, the government of the UK provided a one-time Cost of Living Payment of £299 to nearly 80 lakh families. This was provided to assist those who are struggling financially. If you are entitled to this payment or have not received the payment, then this article will assist you. Here we can describe everything in easy phrases—eligibility, payment dates, and what to do if you are not getting the payments.
Eligibility Criteria for £299 Payment
The government had established some pre-fixed terms to receive this payment. Its premise was that an individual or household is availing the benefit of some exceptional schemes of the government.
Benefits on which this payment was made:
If anyone availed any of the below-mentioned benefits of the government, they became eligible for this payment:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
If you had been on Universal Credit, your payment cycle was supposed to finish between 13 November and 12 December 2023.
For each other person, you truly had to see in case you had been due that advantage at any time from 13 November to 12 December 2023.
Tax credit recipients also ought to have received payments between these dates.
£299 payment dates
You didn’t have to complete any forms to get this payment. The government paid it straight into your bank account between 6 February and 22 February 2025.
Your bank statement would have shown this payment like this:
- DWP COL—if you are paid by DWP (Department for Work and Pensions)
- HMRC COLS—if you are an HMRC (tax credit recipient)
What to do if you haven’t received payment?
If you believed that you were due for this payment, but the funds have now not reached your account, do the following:
- Double-check your bank account first. There is a chance that the payment has been made, but you might not have seen it.
- Check your benefit status. That is to say that you are getting the government benefits that this payment was meant to do on time.
- Report to DWP or HMRC:
- If you claim benefits from the DWP, report a “Missing Payment” on a visit to the DWP website. If you just claim tax credits, ring HMRC’s helpline.
- Keep these documents handy: Your National Insurance number
- Details of your benefits
- Bank statements and any details of suspicious transactions
Government departments typically reply within a few working days, although it will take a bit longer when they are very busy.
Other useful schemes
Apart from the £299, there are other government schemes to aid individuals financially:
Household Support Fund (HSF)
This has been extended to April 2025. This is where you can receive assistance with things like food, electricity, or water bills. The local council within your region assists—for example, with vouchers or cash payments.
Winter Fuel Payment
If you are a pensioner, you can receive assistance of £200 to £300 towards heating during winter.
Warm Home Discount
Low-income individuals are provided with a £150 discount on their electricity bills during winter.
Cold Weather Payments
If it gets too cold, £25 assistance is provided for each 7 days of the week (between November and March). This is for individuals receiving certain benefits.
To avail yourself of all these schemes, contact your local council or check out the government website for details.
Important precautions
- Don’t get fooled: DWP or HMRC will never ask for your bank details, password, or PIN through an email or SMS. Just ignore it if you get any such message.
- Identify the codes in the bank statement:
- DWP COL—if the money is from DWP
- HMRC COLS—if funds have originated from HMRC (tax credit)
- Legal disputes: People have complained to the government about why the Winter Fuel Payment was cut. Hearings are also taking place on this, and it could also impact the future plans.
Conclusion
This £299 Cost of Living Payment relieved hundreds of thousands of families in 2025 who were struggling because of inflation. If you are also eligible for this and have not yet received the amount, then immediately contact the respective department.
Also, don’t forget that other schemes being offered by the government, such as Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount, or HSF, can be beneficial for you.
For safety, receive information only from government sites and official councils. Do not act upon anything that appears fishy; simply ignore it and dig deeper.
FAQs
1. Who was eligible for the £299 DWP payment?
Anyone receiving specific government benefits—like Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or Tax Credits—between 13 November and 12 December 2023 was eligible for the £299 payment.
2. Which benefits qualified you for the £299 payment?
Qualifying benefits include Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit, JSA, ESA, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, and Working Tax Credit, during the eligibility period in late 2023.
3. When were the £299 payments made?
Payments were issued directly to eligible recipients’ bank accounts between 6 February and 22 February 2025—no need to apply or fill out any separate form.
