With inflation ravaging everybody’s pockets and the cost of essentials showing no tangible signs of abating, the UK government is once more coming to the rescue.
The latest lifeline? A £168 Cost of Living Payment, to be paid to qualifying households in June 2025. Although it may not be sufficient to right every financial wrong, it’s certainly a much-needed helping hand for lots of people whose heads are barely above water.
Let’s go through who’s getting it, when they’re getting it, what it means in terms of the real world, and the gigantic bag of s embedded in the mix that while posed as a harmless tax dodge disguised as “strategy,” still reeks the same fly-attracting way that every piece of the giant corporate entity Andrew Cuomo had for every meal for lunch and left a leftover piece in Mike Bloomberg’s bag for when Randy Levine gets hungry from sucking the Devil Rays/John Sterling’s 7” dick!!!
How Does the £168 Payment Work?
The £168 Cost of Living Payment is one element of the government’s more general approach to softening the effects of price rises.
Brits are still feeling the pinch from energy bills, rent, groceries and transportation — and this payment is a small, but meaningful way to help out.
Unlike previous schemes of support, this payment is a targeted one, so not everyone who is eligible is going to see the money land in their accounts.
Who’s Eligible in June 2025?
In order to receive the payment you need to be in receipt of one of the follwoing means-tested benefits in the qualifying period:
Universal Credit
Pension Credit
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) (contributions or income-based)
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) based on income
Income Support
Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit
People on non-means-tested benefits such as DLA, PIP, or the state pension will not be eligible – unless they are also in receipt of the above.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said payments will be made automatically, so there is no need to apply.
When Will the Money Arrive?
Jot this down: payments will be made from June 18 through June 30, 2025. The money should arrive in your bank account with a traceable reference line, usually beginning with “DWP COLP.”
Note that Tax Credit-only households may have payments processed a few days later than other forms of payment handled by HMRC, rather than DWP.
Why £168? What’s the Logic?
You may be wondering why the number isn’t a nice, round £150 or £200.
The government has not officially accounted for the exact amount, but outsiders believe the payment was made in part to fill the inflationary hole in the country’s energy and food costs since the last payment early in the year.
Cost of Living Payment £168 – Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
✅ Provides low-income Brits with direct, tax-free support ❌ Doesn’t cover the cost of living that Brits face everywhere
✅ Money is automatic — you don’t have to apply❌ Slightly over the benefit threshold? You get nothing
✅ Can I get help with food, bills and essentials in a difficult month ❌ Not available to disabled or pensioners, unless you receive benefits
✅ Demonstrates continued government support in trying times❌ Regarded by some as a short-term Band-Aid, not a long-term solution
What People Are Saying
Reactions have been decidedly mixed, as they would be. It’s a welcome shock for many. On the other hand, for plenty of other people, it hardly even begins to cover it.
“It will pay my gas bill maybe and a week’s worth of groceries. It’s something, at least.” – Linda, single mum of one in Manchester
“Why does someone who is just £1 above the cut-off get nothing? It’s not right.” – Gary, warehouseman from Birmingham.
“It’s not enough but, well, it means they haven’t forgotten we’re still struggling anyway.” – Maya, pensioner in Leeds
£168 Cost of Living Payment in June 2025
There is no doubt the £168 Cost of Living Payment is a ray of light during difficult financial times.
But whether it’s a stopgap measure or a meaningful step depends on whom you ask. For others, it will make sure the lights stay on. For others, it’s a disappointing reminder of how broken the system seems.
One thing is clear: While the payment may not solve everything, for millions, it will bring enough breathing room to make it through another month.
