Over 300,000 people in Northern Ireland to start to receive £324 cost-of-living payments

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will start making the payments directly into eligible people's bank accounts from Tuesday.

There is no need for people to apply or do anything to receive it - so people should watch out for texts or emails from scammers inviting them to make applications.

The payments form the second part of a £650 sum being paid out to people receiving benefits such as universal credit, income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA), income-related employment and support allowance (ESA), income support, pension credit, child tax credit and working tax credit.

Payments of £326 have previously been made by the DWP and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

DWP claimants will generally receive their second cost-of-living payments by November 23.

Eligible households receiving tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will get their second cost-of-living payment from November 23 and should receive it by November 30.

The DWP said that in a small minority of complex circumstances, it may pay some households after November 23, for example, if they were deemed unable to claim certain benefits, but won backdated entitlement on appeal, or where payments were rejected due to invalid account details.

The payment reference on DWP recipients' bank accounts will be their national insurance number, followed by "DWP COL". For HMRC recipients, the payment reference will be "HMRC COLS".

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: "We understand that people are struggling and that is why we've consistently acted to ensure millions of low-income families are supported. We will continue to act with compassion as we navigate challenging global economic circumstances.

"As part of a wider £37 billion package of support, this latest £324 payment will help the most vulnerable people in our society who are worrying about their finances through the winter months."

In Northern Ireland, an estimated 309,000 families are included.