Hundreds of pounds in extra government help will begin arriving in the bank accounts of eight million cash-strapped people this week.

The second £324 cost of living support payment is additional cash being given out by the Department for Work and Pensions to those expected to struggle the most with rising costs this winter.

Eight million low income households on means-tested benefits are estimated to be entitled to the money, which is being paid-out just in time for Christmas. Those in line for the cash, being 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 in the spring by Rishi Sunak during his role as Chancellor, which is being given to homes expected to struggle the most with escalating inflation and increased bills in the coming six months.

The first instalment was sent to people's bank accounts in July and gave claimants an extra £326 to put towards their outgoings.

The DWP is paying 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.

While the money will start to be paid-out from Tuesday (November 8) the cash could arrive any time up until November 23, advises the DWP.

In September 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, most 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 is money from the Energy Bills Discount scheme, which is giving every household with a domestic energy contract an extra £400 to put towards gas and electric bills between October and March.

The money is arriving in six monthly instalments, 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.