Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that people on working tax credits receive their cost of living payment within the same timescales as those not receiving working tax credits.

People on working tax credits are often in receipt of other means-tested benefits.

HMRC issue payments to people on working tax credits after the other payments have been made, to allow time to ensure those who claim tax credits as well as a means tested benefit do not receive the payment twice. This decreases the risk of overpayments to tax credits customers.