Is there a Cost of Living Payment in 2026?

For people on benefits wondering if another Cost of Living Payment is coming.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

No. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says it is not planning to make any more Cost of Living Payments, and the last one was paid in February 2024.

The final means-tested payment was £299, for people on certain low income benefits in late 2023.
From 2022 to 2024 there were five means-tested payments, two £150 disability payments and extra pensioner payments.
The payments were tax free and did not affect other benefits.
If you think you missed one, contact the office that pays your benefit.
In England, your council may help through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

No new payments planned
Last payment: February 2024
Means-tested total: up to £1,550
Tax free, did not affect benefits

Every means-tested payment, 2022 to 2024

These went to people on low income benefits or tax credits. Each had its own qualifying period, so you needed to be getting a qualifying benefit at that time.

Payment	Amount	Qualifying period	When it was paid
First	£326	April to May 2022	July to August 2022
Second	£324	August to September 2022	November 2022
Third	£301	January to February 2023	April to May 2023
Fourth	£300	August to September 2023	October to November 2023
Fifth	£299	November to December 2023	February 2024

Qualifying benefits were Universal Credit, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, and Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit.

Disability and pensioner payments

Disability: two payments of £150. The first was for people getting a disability benefit (such as PIP, DLA or Attendance Allowance) on 25 May 2022. The second was for people getting one on 1 April 2023.
Pensioners: an extra £150 or £300 was added to the Winter Fuel Payment in winter 2022 to 2023 and winter 2023 to 2024.

Worked examples

Example 1. Sam got Universal Credit through all five qualifying periods. Sam received £326 + £324 + £301 + £300 + £299 = £1,550.

Example 2. Ann got Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance through 2023. She received the third, fourth and fifth means-tested payments (£900) plus the £150 disability payment, a total of £1,050. If she qualified for a Winter Fuel Payment, she also got a pensioner payment added to it.

Why some people did not get a payment

Your benefit was reduced to £0 in the qualifying period, for example because of earnings or a sanction. (This did not apply if the £0 was only because of deductions for rent or debts, or if you got a hardship payment.)
Your tax credits award was under £26 a year.
You only got New Style Jobseeker's Allowance, or New Style or contributory Employment and Support Allowance.

If you think you missed a payment

Contact the office that pays your qualifying benefit or tax credits. If a payment was made to you by mistake, you may have to pay it back.

Help available in 2026/27

Help	What you could get
Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27	£200 or £300 if born on or before 27 June 1960
Warm Home Discount	£150 off your electricity bill, reopening October 2026 (not in Northern Ireland)
Crisis and Resilience Fund (England)	Help from your council with essentials

In Scotland, older people get Pension Age Winter Heating Payment instead of the Winter Fuel Payment.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Find help from your council

Common questions

Will there be a Cost of Living Payment in 2026?

No. DWP says it is not planning to make any more Cost of Living Payments.

Did I have to pay tax on a Cost of Living Payment?

No. The payments were not taxable and did not affect your benefits or tax credits.

What help is there instead?

In England, local councils run the Crisis and Resilience Fund for people who cannot pay for essentials. You do not have to be on benefits to ask.

Official sources

1.Cost of Living Payment (DWP guidance)www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment
2.Get help with the cost of living from your local councilwww.gov.uk/cost-living-help-local-council

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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