More than six million people claiming disability benefits will start to receive a £150 cost of living payment from today (June 20). The one-off payments will be made automatically by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) until July 4, although some people may receive the lump sum after that date.
However, despite the cash boost, Scope said the money “won’t touch the sides” of the additional costs faced by disabled people. The charity highlighted how some people have seen energy bills increase by £6,000 in the past year as a result of soaring global prices of wholesale gas.
Scope said the answer doesn’t lie with a series of one-off payments, it wants to see a “long-term solution” put in place by the UK Government along with a “discounted social energy tariff for disabled people”. A consultation is due to open this summer about a social energy tariff ahead of new plans to introduce new measures from next April.
Louise Rubin, head of policy at disability charity Scope, said: "This £150 disability cost of living payment offered to people on disability benefits won't touch the sides.
"We've heard from disabled people whose bills have risen to £6,000 a year. Parents are skipping meals so their children can eat. Others are going without food to power breathing equipment.
"We need a long-term solution. The Government urgently needs to introduce a discounted social energy tariff for disabled people with no choice but to use more energy."
The latest round of cost of living support is part of a wider package of financial help worth up to £1,350 to the most vulnerable households.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: "We recognise that some of the most vulnerable UK households continue to face cost-of-living pressures, in particular those who are disabled.
"Our commitment to halving inflation and ultimately getting it back to the 2% target will relieve a lot of financial pressure for us all, but this extra support will help over six million disabled people right now as we work towards that goal."
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: "The additional costs faced by disabled people mean inflation is particularly challenging, which is why halving it this year and getting back to the Bank of England's 2% target is our priority.
"The £150 we're sending disabled people over the next two weeks is part of a major cost-of-living support package worth just under £100 billion, providing some peace of mind to the most vulnerable in society."
Minister for disabled people, health and work Tom Pursglove said: "We understand the additional financial pressures disabled people are facing, which is why we are putting another £150 in their pockets from today.
"This is on top of further cost of living payments for low-income benefit claimants, as we're committed to providing support where it is needed most."
11 need-to-knows about the £150 payment
Here are 11 key facts everyone due the cost of living payment should know:
- The payment window is between June 20 and July 4, 2023
- Payments will be made Monday to Friday
- Payments will be made automatically into the same account where your qualifying benefit is normally paid and show your National Insurance number followed by 'DWP COL'
- If you’ve recently changed the account your benefit is paid into it, the £150 may arrive later
- Some 6.7m people claiming any one of nine disability benefits will receive the payment
- Payments are per claimant, not per household
- Qualifying period is April 1, 2023
- Payments will still be made automatically to those waiting for an assessment or award decision - if their claim is later successful
- People in receipt of Child or Adult Disability Payment will receive the money from DWP even though their devolved benefit is paid by Social Security Scotland
- Payments can be reported missing from Wednesday, July 5
- If you receive the payment, but DWP later finds out that you were not eligible for it, you may have to pay it back
£150 cost of living payment in detail
Some 6.7million people claiming one of nine benefits automatically qualify for the payment including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance (DLA). To qualify, claimants must have received a payment on April 1, 2023 - or later found to be eligible.
For those people awaiting confirmation of their entitlement to disability benefits on April 1, or who are waiting to be assessed for eligibility to receive disability benefits, the payment process may take longer and arrive after the scheduled window closes on July 4, but DWP said the money will still arrive automatically.
£150 disability cost of living payment eligibility
You may be entitled to the £150 payment if you’re getting any of any of the following benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (Scotland)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
Guidance on GOV.UK adds: “If you were getting a qualifying benefit from the Ministry of Defence and a qualifying benefit from DWP, you will get a disability cost of living payment from DWP only.”
It also warns: “If you receive a disability cost of living payment, but we later find that you were not eligible for it, you may have to pay it back.”
Payment window
The money will be paid automatically into the same account for your qualifying benefit, but will appear as a separate payment. This will arrive between June 20 and July 4, 2023.
The guidance on GOV.UK states: “Payments will be made to people who were getting a qualifying disability benefit from DWP before payments to people who were getting a qualifying benefit from the Ministry of Defence.”
DWP has also said that payments may come later, for example if you’re awarded a qualifying benefit at a later date or you change the account your benefit is paid into - but they will still be made automatically.
When to report £150 payment missing
The two-week payment window is open until Tuesday, July 4 and anyone who believes they are eligible, but does not receive £150, can report it missing on GOV.UK from Wednesday, July 5.
DWP has said it will be unable to take any action before that date, possibly for similar reasons given by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about any missing £301 payments. It said that the delay is necessary to allow banks and building societies time to process the transaction.
More details about all the cost of living payments due between now and spring 2024 can be found on GOV.UK here.
To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, follow us on Twitter @Record_Money, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out Monday to Friday - sign up here.
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