Almost 10,000 families to receive cost of living benefit
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AROUND 10,000 families across Banff and Buchan are to receive £324 this month as latest cost of living payments are sent out.
The UK Government is to send families in Banff and Buchan the money to manage cost of living increased.
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has welcomed the move, blaming the cost of living crisis on Vladimir Putin and claiming the money will help those most in need across the north east.
Around 690,000 people in Scotland who claimed qualifying means-tested benefits during the eligibility period will be automatically paid the cash this month, as part of £1200 worth of direct help for households.
The payments, starting today from the Department for Work and Pensions, are made directly into eligible recipients’ bank accounts, with no need for people to apply or do anything to receive it.
Around 9,500 households will receive the payment in Banff and Buchan while an additional 32,400 from the rest of the north east will be given the direct payment.
DWP claimants will receive their second cost of living payment by November 23, and eligible tax credit claimants, on no other means-tested benefits, will receive it between November 23 and 30.
David Duguid MP said: “This scheme again highlights that the UK Government is continuing to listen to people’s concerns over rising costs.
“The global cost-of-living crisis and the impact of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has meant eye-watering increases for families across Banff and Buchan, particularly in energy bills.
“They are also seeing food and fuel bills rocket and are having to make increasingly tough decisions.
“That is why this intervention from the UK Government is so welcome. We continue to recognise the pressures people are facing and this will deliver support to those who need it most in the north-east.
“This money will go directly into your bank account if you are eligible and hopefully ease the pressure whether you are putting fuel in the car or paying for the weekly shop.
“The UK Government has once again stepped up and their total cost-of-living support now totals £37 billion.”
The government’s £1200 support package contains £400 for energy bills being paid in monthly instalments to all domestic energy customers between now and March.
It also includes a £150 Council tax rebate for 85 per cent of all UK households and the previous £326 Cost of Living Payment made by DWP in July and by HMRC in September.
On top of this, nearly one in ten people received the £150 disability payment in September, and a £300 addition to winter fuel payments will go to over eight million pensioner households over the winter.
