Benefits payments: February 2024 payment dates including Child Benefit and Cost of Living payment
As the ongoing cost of living crisis continues to grip the nation, people across the country will be eagerly anticipating the essential benefits that form the financial backbone of many households.
From the vital Cost of Living Payment to the State Pension, understanding the exact schedule of these allocations is crucial for effective financial planning.
People who are eligible for cost of living support will also receive their third and final round of payment in the coming weeks while benefits claimants can expect their February payment as usual. Here’s everything you need to know.
Cost of Living payment
The third and final instalment of the £900 payment will be made in February 2024. Eligible claimants of qualifying benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be paid between 6 February 2024 and 22 February 2024.
Eligible claimants on Tax Credits-only from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be paid between 16 February 2024 and 22 February 2024.
Eligible claimants do not need to apply or take any action to get the payment. The £299 instalment will be sent automatically by the DWP and HMRC.
The reason the instalments are a slightly different amount each time is to make it easier for DWP and HMRC to track which grants people have received and in order to minimise fraud or scam risks.
Recipients of both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit will receive a cost of living payment for Child Tax Credit only, paid by HMRC.
The payment, which is tax-free and does not have any impact on your existing benefits, should show up on your bank statement as “DWP COL” or “DWP COLP”.
February benefits dates
Benefits and pension payments will also be going out as normal in February. There are no bank holidays in February, meaning the timing of your payment won’t be affected.
Claimants will receive their February payment if they are receiving one of the benefits below:
- Universal Credit
- State pension
- Pension credit
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payment
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Employment support allowance
- Income support
- Jobseeker’s allowance
The assessment period for these payments ran from between 13 November and 12 December 2023. The Government advises that if your benefit was reduced to £0 during this period, also known as a “nil award”, you will not be eligible for the cost of living payment.
For more information on how and when state benefits are paid, please visit the government’s website.
How often are benefits paid?
- Attendance Allowance - Usually every 4 weeks
- Carer’s Allowance - Weekly in advance or every 4 weeks
- Child Benefit - Usually every 4 weeks - or weekly if you’re a single parent or you or your partner get certain benefits
- Disability Living Allowance - Usually every 4 weeks
- Employment and Support Allowance - Usually every 2 weeks
- Income Support - Usually every 2 weeks
- Jobseeker’s Allowance - Usually every 2 weeks
- Maternity Allowance - Every 2 or 4 weeks
- Pension Credit - Usually every 4 weeks
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - Usually every 4 weeks
- State Pension - Usually every 4 weeks
- Tax credits, such as Working Tax Credit - Every 4 weeks or weekly. Check your payment date if you’re paid every 4 weeks.
- Universal Credit - Every month
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