What are you spending your cost of living payment on?

[AutisticLegoLover]

I'm £200 in debt to my gas and electricity supplier so I'll be paying that off to hopefully build up credit over the summer months ready for the winter. The other £101 I don't know yet.

What are you doing with yours?

Well it’s £900 over a year and a bit. It’s not a lot of money bit less than £20 a week.

It is really hard to increase your income when you are on UC though when you are already working. To increase your income by £900 you’d need to take home an extra £2000 due to the taper rate. In order to take home 2k you will of had to pay tax/NI/pension contributions. So to increase your income by £900 you’d really need to earn nearly £3000 give or take which seems like a big sum of money.

Yes, it's an effective marginal tax rate of 69%
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/58870012

£900 is a lot of money, it covers almost all my energy bill, or almost all DS's bus to college.

I don't need it and don't get it and I still see it as a lot of money, in that, hopefully it will make things a bit easier for the people who do qualify.

After all, the whole £900 could be 2/3 months food bill for a family, or nearly half the annual utility bill, or pretty much the whole council tax bill. Or it could pay for something like a washing machine and freezer, that was previously unaffordable.

I've had a lot of struggles in the past and any extra lump sums like this would have been much appreciated.

Put it into my energy account and bought a lawn mower

They do.

I'm in credit so mine is going in my savings.

Wish I had money to put in my savings.

"@Felucia
It makes me so sad how people are struggling. And I wish they would give the money to low income workers too."

Me too , there are so many low paid workers just above the limit to claim benefits, the government doesn't seem to care about those .
Some people I know work all the overtime have two or three jobs to stay afloat. I also know people who won't do extra hours as they " loses out " on benefits it's a very bad system.

What do you mean by low paid? I could earn quite a bit more and still qualify.

Half on my self assessment tax bill and half on council tax, I've literally given it straight back to them!

whowhatwerewhy · Today 08:57
yes I agree with your comment. My sister is on her own, no kids. She just earns a bit over the threshold and gets nothing. I feel so sad for her. She struggles.

Going towards prepping for the arrival of surprise baby 😳

@OnNaturesCourse how wonderful! Congratulations!

@amylou8 that's depressing

I'm still debating but have purchased a new vacuum cleaner. It's much needed. I think the autumn payment might buy a heated airer. This past autumn and winter were awful for drying and it took so long it smelt musty and needed re-washing so I might as well have used the tumble drier to start with 😩

MOT due so hopefully it will cover that. Need a car for work, not just to get to work and wages aren’t enough to run a house and a car, so really would be up the stream without a paddle without this COL

Im on universal credit. I didn't think i would be getting it, but it looks like I qualify.
Has everyone on UC received thiers?

You will get it then.

Just to be able to live without worrying for a month.

No, not yet 😭

Still waiting for mine.

CT bill and holiday spends with the rest.

Yes tonight!

In to savings as going to need a new freezer soon!

You'll get 150 in the summer on PIP but not the current COL payment.