DWP verdict on whether new cost of living payments will be announced for next year

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has issued a statement on whether or not new cost of living payments will be announced from next spring.

The DWP is handing out five separate payments to the most vulnerable this year and into next - a £150 payment to people on disability benefits, up to £300 for pensioners and then three separate installments spread over the year that total £900 for people on mean-tested benefits.

While the help has been welcomed this year as people continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, some charities are worried that people relying on the payments will fall on hard times if they are not continued after spring 2024, when the third and final installment of the £900 payment, which will be worth £299, will hit eligible people's bank accounts. READ MORE: Everyone on 21 DWP benefits to receive £10 Christmas payment - full list Read more money stories from the Manchester Evening News here. Last month, Labour MP for Knowsley Sir George Howarth asked the work and pensions secretary Mel Stride whether he plans to extend the cost of living payments beyond the spring.

Last week, the government answered the question with a written response. Mims Davies, parliamentary under-secretary for the DWP, confirmed there were "no plans" to extend the scheme beyond spring, saying that inflation has slowed and benefits are being uprated to reflect rising costs.