Fake DWP Cost-of-Living Payment Scam
Scammers send texts and emails impersonating the DWP, claiming that a cost-of-living payment or energy support payment has been approved for the recipient but must be claimed via a link within a deadline. Real UK government cost-of-living payments are paid automatically to eligible recipients — no separate registration or link-based claim is ever required.
Part of: Fake Stimulus Payment Scams
Last reviewed: 7 June 2026
The UK government has made several cost-of-living and energy support payments to welfare recipients and pensioners in recent years. Each time such payments are announced, scammers rapidly deploy DWP-branded messages to intercept confused or uninformed recipients who may not know whether they need to claim the payment or whether it is paid automatically.
These messages create an artificial action: even though the real payment is paid automatically, the fake message tells the recipient that they must 'register' their bank details via a link to receive it. The manufactured urgency and modest payment amount combine to drive clicks.
Real DWP and HMRC cost-of-living payments are paid automatically to eligible recipients based on existing benefit and tax credit records. No separate registration or bank detail submission via a text link is ever required.
How this scam works on the DWP brand
Texts read: 'DWP: Your cost-of-living payment of £XXX has been approved. Register your bank details to receive it by [date]: [link].' The link opens a fake Government Gateway page harvesting credentials.
Email variants reference specific payment names (such as the Disability Cost of Living Payment or Pensioner Cost of Living Payment) taken from real government announcements, making the message appear highly targeted and timely.
Some messages arrive shortly after a real government announcement, exploiting the period when eligible people are most likely to be wondering whether and when they will receive the payment. This timing is deliberate.
Common red flags
- Text or email claiming you must click a link and register bank details to receive a cost-of-living payment
- Link does not go to gov.uk
- No corresponding notification in your Universal Credit account or HMRC Personal Tax Account
- Message arrives shortly after a real government announcement about a payment
- Urgency: 'register before [date] or payment is returned'
- Email address is not from a @dwp.gov.uk or @hmrc.gov.uk domain
- Form asks for full bank account and sort code via an external website
How to protect yourself
- Know the rule: real UK cost-of-living payments are automatic — no registration link is needed
- Check your actual payment status through your Universal Credit journal at gov.uk or your HMRC Personal Tax Account
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 and emails to the NCSC at report.ncsc.gov.uk
- Call the DWP on 0800 328 5644 or HMRC on 0300 200 3300 to verify any payment claim
- If credentials were entered, change your Government Gateway password immediately
How to report it
- Forward smishing texts to 7726
- Report phishing to the NCSC at report.ncsc.gov.uk
- Report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040
- If bank details were entered, contact your bank's fraud team immediately
- If your Universal Credit account was compromised, call 0800 328 5644
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register to receive a DWP cost-of-living payment?
No. Eligible recipients receive cost-of-living payments automatically, paid to the same bank account as their existing benefit. No registration via a link or text is ever required.
How will I know if I am eligible for a cost-of-living payment?
Check gov.uk for official eligibility criteria and payment dates. The DWP and HMRC publish this information publicly — you do not need to respond to any unsolicited message to find out.
I got a text about a cost-of-living payment. How do I know if it is real?
Real government payments arrive automatically without requiring any action from you via a link. If a message asks you to click a link to claim a payment, it is almost certainly fraudulent. Check gov.uk directly.