The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has dismissed a call from Conservative MP, Virginia Crosbie, to assess the “potential merits of extending the £650 support for the rise in energy” to include people on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Carer's Allowance.
Last month, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £15 billion package of further financial support for millions of households across the UK struggling to make their incomes stretch to cover the rising cost of living.
This package is in addition to the £22 billion announced previously, with UK Government support now totalling over £37 billion which means that millions of the most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year along with a £400 discount on their electricity bill - and it doesn’t need to be paid back.
The ‘Cost of Living Payment’ of £650 will be made in two instalments, the first one will be for £326 and will start landing in bank accounts from July 14 with the rest paid out by the end of the month and is for households on means-tested benefits only.
Eligible benefits to receive £650 payment:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support
- Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
In a written response to Ms Nichols’ question on June 14, DWP Minister David Rutley MP, said: “The £650 means-tested benefit one-off Cost of Living Payments have been designed to target support for 8 million households with low incomes, on means-tested benefits.
“Personal Independence Payment and Carer’s Allowance are not means tested, but customers in receipt of these, and other, non-means tested who are also entitled to an eligible means-tested benefit will receive the payment.
“This means nearly 60% of those who are working age on Carer’s Allowance will get a Cost of Living Payment.”
He continued: “In addition, 6 million disabled people who receive an eligible non-means tested disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payments, will receive a one-off disability Cost of Living Payment of £150.
“Where people meet the criteria for both types of payments, they will receive both the £650 and the £150, and carers living in the same household as the disabled person for whom they care will benefit from the disability Cost of Living Payment.”
The one-off £150 for people on disability benefits will be made in September - find out more about this here.
You can read the full response on GOV.UK here.
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