If you’re searching for the DWP £299 cost of living payment, here’s the direct answer: it was the third and final instalment of a three-part cost of living payment scheme, paid between 6 and 22 February 2024, and there is no new £299 payment or replacement lump sum in 2026. The DWP cost of living payment scheme that ran from 2022 to 2024 has fully ended, and the government has since moved to different forms of support instead. This guide explains exactly what the £299 payment was, who received it, what to do if you think you missed one, and what help actually exists right now if you’re struggling with costs.
What Was the DWP £299 Cost of Living Payment?
The £299 payment was the third of three Cost of Living Payments made during the 2023/24 financial year, worth £900 in total to eligible households. The full schedule was £301 (paid 25 April to 17 May 2023), £300 (paid in autumn 2023), and £299 (paid 6 to 22 February 2024).
These payments were issued automatically to people receiving qualifying means-tested benefits during specific assessment periods set by the DWP. Nobody needed to apply, and the payments were tax-free and didn’t count as income for other benefit calculations.
This built on an earlier £650 Cost of Living Payment made in 2022, meaning some households received well over £1,000 in direct support across the two years combined.
Who Was Eligible for the DWP Cost of Living Payment
Eligibility for the £299 payment (and the two payments before it) was based on receiving one of the following during the relevant qualifying period:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
Separately, a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment was made to people receiving PIP, Adult Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance, and Disability Living Allowance, and a Pensioner Cost of Living Payment of around £300 was added to Winter Fuel Payments for eligible pensioner households. Someone claiming both a qualifying means-tested benefit and a disability benefit could have received several of these payments across the scheme.
Is There a New DWP Cost of Living Payment in 2026?
No. As of 2026, the DWP has confirmed there are no further £299, £300, or similar lump-sum Cost of Living Payments planned. The scheme that produced these payments was designed as temporary emergency support for the 2022 to 2024 period and formally concluded with the February 2024 payment.
If you see a text, email, or social media post claiming you can apply for a new Cost of Living Payment, treat it as a scam. The DWP never asks for bank details by text or email, and the original payments were never something you needed to apply for.
Instead of repeating the lump-sum model, the government has shifted its approach toward permanent increases to benefit rates and localised crisis support, covered in detail below.
What Happened If You Missed a Cost of Living Payment
If you were eligible during a qualifying period but never received your payment, the correct route depended on which benefit made you eligible. For DWP-administered benefits, this meant contacting the DWP directly to report a missing payment. For tax credit-only claimants, the correct route was through HMRC.
These windows for reporting a missing payment from the 2023/24 scheme have now closed in most cases, since the scheme itself ended over two years ago. If you believe you’re still owed a payment from that period, contact the DWP or HMRC directly to check your specific record, since general online guidance can’t confirm individual eligibility.
What Cost of Living Support Is Available Now
This is the part most searches for “DWP £299 cost of living payment” are really trying to find, since the specific payment has ended but the underlying need for support usually hasn’t. Here’s what’s actually running in 2026.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund
The Household Support Fund, which many councils used to top up help with food, energy, and essential costs, ended on 31 March 2026 after running since October 2021. It has been replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), a new three-year scheme running from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.
Unlike the old Cost of Living Payments, the CRF isn’t a single automatic national payment. It’s administered locally, meaning each council decides how to allocate its funding and what support looks like in your area, covering four areas: crisis payments, housing payments, resilience services, and community coordination. To access it, search “Crisis and Resilience Fund” plus the name of your local council.
Benefit Uprating in April 2026
Rather than one-off payments, government support since 2024 has largely come through permanent increases to benefit rates. From April 2026, this included a rise in the State Pension under the Triple Lock, an increase to most means-tested benefit rates in line with inflation, and increases to the Universal Credit standard allowance.
These increases apply automatically if you already receive the relevant benefit, so there’s nothing separate to apply for.
Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Credit
Winter Fuel Payments continue for eligible pensioner households, though eligibility rules have changed since the payment was made means-tested from winter 2024/25. If you’re a pensioner on a low income and not already claiming Pension Credit, it’s worth checking your eligibility on GOV.UK, since a successful claim can also open the door to other support, including help with Council Tax and NHS costs.
Other Ongoing Support
Beyond the CRF, other schemes worth checking if you’re struggling with day-to-day costs include the Warm Home Discount for eligible households on qualifying benefits, free school meals eligibility if you have children, and Council Tax Reduction schemes run by individual local authorities.
How to Check What You’re Entitled To
Since support in 2026 is spread across several schemes rather than one automatic payment, it’s worth doing a proper benefits check rather than assuming you’re not eligible for anything. Free, independent benefits calculators from Turn2us, entitledto, and Citizens Advice can give you a reasonably accurate picture in about 10 to 15 minutes, based on your income, savings, and household circumstances.
It’s also worth checking directly with your local council’s website for its specific Crisis and Resilience Fund scheme, since eligibility criteria and the type of support offered can vary meaningfully between areas.
FAQS
What was the DWP £299 cost of living payment for?
It was the third and final Cost of Living Payment in a three-part scheme for the 2023/24 financial year, paid to eligible households receiving means-tested benefits to help with rising living costs. It was paid automatically between 6 and 22 February 2024.
Is the £299 cost of living payment still available in 2026?
No, the scheme ended in February 2024 and no new £299 or equivalent lump-sum payment has been announced for 2026. Any message claiming otherwise should be treated as a scam.
Who was eligible for the £299 cost of living payment?
People receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit, or Working Tax Credit during the relevant qualifying period were automatically eligible. No application was needed.
Do I need to pay tax on the cost of living payment?
No, all Cost of Living Payments, including the £299 instalment, were tax-free and did not count as income when calculating other means-tested benefits.
What replaced the Cost of Living Payment scheme?
The government moved toward permanent benefit rate increases and local crisis support instead of repeated lump-sum payments. The main current scheme is the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which replaced the Household Support Fund from 1 April 2026 and runs until 31 March 2029.
What is the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
It’s a three-year, council-administered support scheme covering crisis payments, housing support, and financial resilience services, running from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. Unlike the old Cost of Living Payments, it isn’t a single national lump sum, since each council designs its own local scheme.
What if I never received a payment I was owed?
If you believe you were eligible for a payment from the 2023/24 scheme but didn’t receive it, contact the DWP directly for DWP-administered benefits, or HMRC if you only qualified through tax credits, to check your individual record.
How do I know if a cost of living payment message is a scam?
The DWP never asks for bank details by text, email, or phone call, and none of the Cost of Living Payments ever required an application. Any message asking you to apply, click a link, or confirm your bank details for a “new” cost of living payment should be treated as fraudulent.
