Elderly lady did not receive Cost of Living Payment

[Marie2022]

Trying to help someone out. It’s not for me. She is in her 80s and in receipt of ‘old age pension’ and Attendance Allowance. She said all her friends received £650 Cost of Living Payment into their bank accounts but she didn’t get it. She was really excited about the money as she has no savings. But the money didn’t arrive 😞.

Can anybody think of a reason why she may not have got it? I’ve had a look on the DWP website but it’s as clear as mud.

Thanks.

www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment#report-a-missing-cost-of-living-payment-for-a-low-income-benefit

There's a button that you can click to report a missing payment. If she is indeed eligible they will sort it.

Oh and 'all her friends' will not have received 650 because nobody has. It's being paid half around now and the other half later in the year. So if she is telling you that they are telling her they've all had 650. Someone's fibbing or confused.

I don't think she qualifies for the £650 - that's for those on certain benefits - pension isn't included on that.

I'm not sure about Attendance Allowance - I've not seen it mentioned - she should get £300 paid to her in October/November for her pension though as far as I'm aware.

I agree through it is as clear as mud.

She will only get the £326 payment if in receipt if pension credit.
As she's on AA she will get the disability payment of £150.
The government. Website has a link for missing payments.

I don't think she's eligible for the higher amount. She'll get the £150 one instead.

You may get a lump sum payment of £150 if you’re getting any of the following:
• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance for adults
• Disability Living Allowance for children
• Personal Independence Payment
• Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
• Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• War Pension Mobility Supplement

It says from September.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payment?utmsource=google&utmmmedium=cpc&utmcontent=EMMBrand&utmcampaign=CostofLivingg_22

Details are here - she need to be claiming pension credit to get the 326 that was paid recently. She'll get the disability payment of 150 for her attendance allowance and an additional pensioner payment of 300 if she's entitled to the usual winter fuel payment

Are ‘old age pension’ and ‘Pension Credit’ the same thing, does anybody know?

I think old age pension is the state pension everybody gets. The pension credit is a benefit for those on a low income.

No they're not, pension credit is a top up for people over pensionable age on a low income www.gov.uk/pension-credit

You have to apply for it and it's means tested

If she's eligible and applies now I believe she should get the second half of the 650 payout which is due to be £324

blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2022/06/martin-lewis--the-one-thing-every-aged-over-66-needs-to-know/

She needs to be in receipt of pension credit to get the £650. She should check as quickly as possible whether she would be eligible to claim this as it can be backdated 3 months so if she is eligible she needs to get a claim in by 18th August to qualify. The £150 for being in receipt of Attendance allowance is being paid in september I think.

No they aren't. Pension credit tops up those on a low state pension. being in receipt of a disability benefit like Attendance allowance can increase the chances of being entitled to pension credit especially if you live alone and no-one claims carers allowance for caring for you as she would get a severe disability premium on pension credit which raises her applicable amount.

If she's mixing up payments might she mean the council tax rebate that went to people in smaller houses? In which case if she's living in a larger house she won't get it.