Millions of homes waiting for a £324 cost of living payment to help them pay winter bills will not have much longer to wait for the money, the government has confirmed.

Eight million low-income households on means-tested benefits are being given extra cash by the Department for Work and Pensions as part of measures to help keep people afloat during the current cost of living crisis.

Those in line for the money, which will be sent automatically to those registered by the government as being eligible, will not need to pay the £324 back.

It forms part of a £650 cost of living support package, first announced by then Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the spring, for homes expected to struggle the most with escalating inflation and increased bills in the coming six months.

The DWP will pay the money to all households receiving means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Pension Credit.

The first instalment was sent to people's bank accounts in July and gave claimants an extra £326 to spend, with a further payment of £324 promised at some point this autumn.

It was initially suggested the second amount could be paid out from Saturday (October 1), which would have coincided with the planned rise in energy bills.

But while gas and electric bills increased this weekend, by around a quarter depending on a household's usage, there was no sign of the additional money to help some of the poorest homes with the costly months ahead.

The Department for Work and Pensions has now confirmed the £324 will start being paid to households between November 8 and November 23.

At the end of last month the DWP was forced to admit that 'operational issues' had delayed the sending out of a £150 cost of living payment to disabled people.

Six million people on disability benefits were initially told the money would begin dropping into accounts from September 20. But officials later confirmed that while some payments had been processed that week, the majority would follow some five to seven days later with the majority of those owed the cash likely to receive it by early October.

Also starting to trickle out to every household in England this month is the first £66 bill credit from the Energy Bills Discount scheme.

Under the policy every household with a domestic energy contract will get £400 this winter to help them pay rising gas and electric bills, that have also been capped by the government as part of further efforts to make costs more manageable.

The money is arriving in six monthly instalments between October and March, which for direct debit customers will appear as a credit on energy bill statements and will be sent as vouchers to those on pre-payment metres.

October's amount will be £66, is going to be processed automatically by energy firms without the need for any claim forms, with only those who haven't received it by the end of this month advised to contact their supplier for further help.