Cost of living payment: DWP confirms full breakdown of everyone getting £650 from July - who is eligible?

More than eight million households claiming means-tested benefits will soon receive a one-off £650 payment from the government to help with the rising cost of living.

The cash is part of a £1,200 package of support for vulnerable households this year and is being split into two separate payments, with the first instalment to be rolled out from next month.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has now confirmed exactly how many people from parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive the support.

Full payment breakdown by area

Figures from the DWP show that 1.22 million households in London will be eligible to receive the cash payment, while 1.05 million households will get it in the north west of England.

Around 426,000 homes in Wales will get the £650, on top of 689,000 people in Scotland and 309,000 people in Northern Ireland.

The full breakdown by area, number of households and percentage of people entitled to the £650 is as follows:

• London - 1,224,000 - 15%
• South West - 580,000 - 7%
• South East - 846,000 - 10%
• Eastern - 627,000 - 8%
• West Midlands - 792,000 - 10%
• East Midlands - 551,000 - 7%
• North West - 1,048,000 - 13%
• North East - 397,000 - 5%
• Yorkshire and The Humber - 722,000 - 9%
• Wales - 426,000 - 5%
• Scotland - 689,000 - 8%
• Northern Ireland - 309,000 - 4%

When will the first instalment be paid?

The first instalment of £326 will be paid to millions of low-income households from 14 July, the DWP has confirmed. The second instalment of £324 will then follow from the autumn.

The eligibility date for the second payment will be announced soon, the DWP said.

If customers are eligible through receiving tax credits only, HMRC will contact them and issue payments automatically, with the first instalment being made from autumn. DWP will administer payments for customers on all other eligible means-tested benefits, and customers do not need to contact them or apply for the payment.

Who is eligible for the £650 payment?

The £650 payment is only being given to those who claim means-tested benefits, which take your income and savings into account.

Those who are eligible include claimants of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Pension Credit
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support

Those who will miss out will still benefit from some of the other cost of living payments being rolled out by the government.

Pensioners will receive a £300 payment in November/December alongside the winter fuel payment in a move costing £2.5 billion, while £150 will be paid by September to people receiving disability benefits.

Every household in the country, regardless of their financial situation, will also get a £400 discount on energy bills in October, which will be partly funded by a £5 billion windfall tax on oil and gas giants.