THOUSANDS of cash-tight households are starting to get their £650 cost of living payment from today.

The first half of the two-part fund will arrive in bank accounts from today – but not everyone will get it.

Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the extra cash would be dished out as part of a £15billion emergency package for low income households.

More than eight million households will receive the help, which will be paid in two instalments.

The first is worth £326 and will land in bank accounts from July 14 – payments will be staggered from there.

But The Department of Work and Pension (DWP) has revealed the payment may hit bank accounts late, meaning some will need to wait a couple of extra weeks.

READ MORE ON COST OF LIVING

Full list of people that WON’T get £650 payment today to help with cost of living

Five reasons why your £650 cost of living payment could be delayed

The DWP say it's because there are millions of payments that need to go out and they can't all be processed on a single day.

People on tax credits are among those who WON'T be getting the first payment until months later.

The much-needed help will arrive in autumn and the remaining cash in winter – the exact date has not yet been announced.

People may be receiving tax credits alongside other benefits that qualify for the cost of living payment.

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So the £650 payment to those on tax credits only will be dished out at a later date to avoid any double payments being made.

HMRC has told The Sun that 1.1million people on tax credits will wait for the first payment, and a similar number will have a longer wait again for their second payment.

How do I know if i'm eligible for the £650 payment?

Aside from being on tax credits, you'll need to be receiving one of the following:

• Pension credit
• Income support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

If you're on Universal Credit you could also be eligible.

In order to get the first payment due July 14, you must have been claiming the above between April 26 and May 25 this year.

If you're eligible, the second payment of £324 will be coming Autumn, with an exact date to be confirmed.

For more information on how to claim Universal Credit, click here.

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Some households on low incomes could be eligible for a discount on their council tax bill.

You could get your bill reduced to zero, and with the average bill for a band D home at £1,898, that could be a significant saving.

Find out what you could get in our guide.

There's also an option to claim up to £150 if you can't get council tax rebate, which you can read about here.

Also, if you're struggling to pay your energy bills, there are a whole load of schemes available. You could grab £750 to help pay your bills, and you don't need to pay it back either.

Some schemes include:

• The British Gas scheme where you can claim up to £1,500 helps struggling customers
• A one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier if you're on a prepayment metre

Contact your supplier directly to see what they offer, what the eligibility requirements are, and how much you can get.

If you don't know who your supplier is, you can find out here.

In terms of council funds, the Household Support Fund helps families with the rising cost of living, has been extended.

This help could include cash grants to pay bills or cover food costs – the help will depend on where you live.

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For example, residents in Blackpool can get as much as £300, depending on their circumstances.

To find out what support is available in your area, contact your local council.

Cost of living payments: what you need to know

• All the key dates for cost of living payments revealed
• Every household will get a £400 cost of living payment to help with energy bills
• See the full list of benefits eligible for £650 cost of living cash
• Here's free cash you can get if you DON’T qualify for the £650 cost of living payment
• Millions of pensioners will get a £300 cost of living payment this winter
• Disabled Brits will get £150 this September
• Parents can get up to £200 towards school uniform costs

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