THE Government is paying out millions by offering help to every household struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

Although some programmes are coming to an end, March will see still payments to help make ends meet.

And with weather forecasters saying the beginning of March will see a fall in temperatures and even snow, one payment will be very welcome - the £67 energy discount payment.

Here's what you need to know about the help on offer in March: 

  • £900 cash boost

More than eight million people will qualify for a new £900 cash boost, available to people in receipt of means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and tax credits.

Those £900 payments will begin in Spring and will be paid in three instalments directly into claimants’ bank accounts through the year.

There will also be a separate £150 payment for more than six million disabled people, and an extra £300 for eight million pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel payments.

 

"This is all part of a £26 billion package for 2023 and beyond to help every household in the UK with the rising cost of living" - Minister for Social Mobility @mimsdavies

Millions of people will get new #CostOfLiving Payments from spring 2023 https://t.co/7357RQSu5E pic.twitter.com/FifkCtw07p

— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) January 3, 2023

The Social Security (Additional Payments) (No.2) Bill was approved by MPs last month and confirms that the support will have the “same set of qualifying benefits as previously”.

The bill will now undergo further scrutiny in Parliament.

Qualifying dates for the support will only be revealed after they have happened, in an attempt to stop criminals duping the system and taking advantage of the support.

The Government said the approach would “limit the possibility of fraud”, while Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride added: “We still recognise that despite the relief that (reducing inflation) will provide to millions up and down the country, we still need to provide further support payments.”

  • Date for DWP £900 cost of living payments

The exact payment dates are yet to be announced by the DWP, but this is when to expect each individual payment over the next year:

First cost of living payment - £300 – Spring 2023

Disability payment - £150 – Summer 2023

Second cost of living payment - £300 – Autumn 2023

Pensioner payment - £300 – Winter 2023

Third cost of living payment - £299 – Spring 2024

The DWP have also issued a warning to anyone expecting a payment this year.

In a post shared across their social media platforms, the DWP warned people to look out for scammers hoping to capitalise on people confused about the payments.

The post said: “Watch out for scammers targeting people about cost of living payments.”

They reminded eligible claimants that they did not need to apply for the payment or call the DWP, the payments would be automatically sent to them, and they would never ask for personal details via text or email.

  • Who can claim DWP £900 cost of living payments

There are several benefits that could make claimants eligible for the £301 Cost of Living Payment, including Universal Credit and tax credits – through which 5.4 million households across the UK are expected to qualify, and Pension Credit, through which 1.4 million pensioner households are expected to be paid. 1.3 million will be eligible through legacy DWP benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support, reaching a total of 8.1 million households.

Eligible individuals do not need to apply for payments, as they are made automatically. Those eligible for cost of living payments through tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will be paid by HMRC shortly after DWP payments are made.

  • Cold Weather Payment

With snow predicted in Yorkshire across March, some people could still receive payments for freezing weather. Until the end of the month, you can receive £25 for every seven days of weather recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below.

You may qualify if you receive the following:

Pension Credit

Income Support

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Universal Credit

Support for Mortgage Interest

So far in York this winter there have been two instances when the cold weather payment scheme was activated: 7 December 2022 to 13 December 2022 and 16 January 2023 to 22 January 2023.

  • Warm Home Discount Scheme

For eligible people, a one-off discount of £150 for energy bills is available and should have been applied by the end of the month.

In England  you qualify if you are:

In receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit

On a low income with high energy costs.

  • Energy Bills Support Scheme

One of the Government's flagship cost-of-living policies, The Energy Bills Support Scheme was introduced to help provide relief to households with the cost of energy. You should get a £400 discount to help with your energy bills over winter 2022 to 2023.

£66 should have already been paid in October and November with a further £67 in December 2022, as well as January and February 2023. The last of these payments is due this month, in March.