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More than 8 million households across the UK will get a cash payment from July to ease cost-of-living pressures, as the Work and Pensions Secretary, Thérèse Coffey, sets out detailed plans.
Millions will receive the first of two cost-of-living instalments totalling £650 from 14 July 2022, part of the £1,200 support package this year.
An initial automatic instalment will be £326, with the rest to follow in a second instalment in the autumn.
The payments come as part of £37 billion government package to help families with cost-of-living pressures.
The first instalment of the £650 for qualifying low-income households in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will land in bank accounts from 14 July 2022, continuing to the end of the month.
The move will see millions of households initially £326 better off as the government delivers significant interventions to support groups who are most vulnerable to rising costs. In total, millions of households will receive at least £1,200 from the government this year to help cover rising costs.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the eligibility date for the second instalment will be announced soon.
“Support includes the direct payment of £650 for over 8 million households on benefits, a separate £300 payment for pensioners, and a £150 payment for disabled people, which can be paid on top of the £650 payment,” he said.
The government has also expanded support for the Household Support Fund – which helps people with food and energy bills – with an extra £421 million, on top of £79 million for devolved nations; the total value of this support now stands at £1.5 billion. Fuel duty was also cut by 5p per litre for 12 months in March 2022, and alcohol duty has been frozen for 2022/23.