Over half a million people in the UK on low incomes missed out on the government’s cost of living payment.Earlier this year, the government announced a series of measures to help those struggling with their bills. One of these measures was a payment of £326, the first half of a total of £650, for people claiming Universal Credit. However, 551,000 people did not get this payment as they earned too much money. Labour claims that some people missed out as they may get paid every 4 weeks, but received 2 pay days in the same qualifying period. This meant that their incomes were temporarily too high to qualify for the cost of living payment. Another 6,600 universal credit claimants were refused the payment as they received a benefits sanction. "Inevitably a small number will be ineligible on the qualification dates of a change of income, earnings or other circumstances," A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pension.A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said that “all claimants have the right to appeal their entitlement.”
