It is second instalment of a £650 given to households on benefits (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Eight million low-income households will start to receive the second instalment of their cost of living grants from today.

The £324 payment will be delivered straight into people’s bank accounts sometime between today and November 23.

It is the second instalment of a £650 support grant which was implemented to help people pay their bills, with £326 being paid out earlier in the year.

Those on certain benefits, including Universal Credit and pension credit, are eligible, alongside those who qualify via tax credits.

All official payments will be automatic and no additional details need to be submitted.

The reference on the bank transfer will be the recipient’s national insurance number with ‘DWP COL’ added after.

To be eligible people must have been claiming, and entitled to, benefits between August 26 and September 25.

Pensioner households may also be able to receive the payment if they have a new pension credit claim backdated.

All payments will be made into people’s bank accounts automatically (Credits: Getty Images/Onoky)

Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride said: ‘We understand that people are struggling and that is why we have 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.’

This is in addition to other government support over the cost of living crisis this winter, including around six million disabled people who have been paid a separate £150 disability cost of living payment.

Some eight million pensioner households will receive an extra one-off £300 winter fuel payment this year. 

This is in addition to an extension to the household support fund, which is providing an extra £421 million for use between October and March to help vulnerable people with essential payments.

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Payments will start coming in from today.