Nearly 260,0000 people claiming disability benefits in the North East will receive a £150 boost to help ease the cost of living crisis from next month and our map shows how many will benefit where you live.
Anyone receiving one of nine disability benefits will receive the £150 payment from June 20, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed last week. This is payment to the £301 cost of living sum which has been paid to eight million households over the past three weeks.
The extra £150 will go to more than 6m people who claim disability benefits, such as PIP, over two weeks starting from June 20.
Read more: Call for DWP to end 'limbo and stress' for disabled benefits claimants
In the North East, a total of £32.8m is being shared out among 257,700 people. County Durham has the highest number of people eligible for the payout (75,200) in our area, with more than £11.2m going to claimants in the area.
But when compared to the size of the population, residents of Sunderland are most likely to benefit. Nearly one in six residents in that area (16%) are set to receive £150. You can see how many people will receive the benefit where you live with our interactive map.
Anyone who was paid the following disability benefits on 1 April, will be eligible for the one-off payment of £150. Payment should arrive automatically and there's no need to apply, the DWP said.
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
For those who were awaiting confirmation of their entitlement to disability benefits on 1 April, or who are waiting to be assessed for eligibility to receive disability benefits, the process may take longer, but payments will still be automatic.
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Households could be also be eligible for a second cost of living payment of £300 in the Autumn if they are in receipt of the benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and older benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support.
Pensioners are then set to benefit from £300 during the winter, and then a third cost of living payment of £299 will be paid in Spring next year.
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