Two petitions which called on the UK Government to provide additional cost of living support for people claiming disability benefits are to be debated by MPs in Parliament. Marsha De Cordova MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, has been asked to open the debate on May 22 where MPs from all parties can take part, and the UK Government will send a minister to respond.
The first petition, ‘Make people on disability benefits eligible for the £650 one off payment’, was created by Abigail Broomfield and received more than 24,600 signatures of support on the petitions-parliament website.
The petition states: “Disabled people should be included alongside carers in the £650 one off payment as part of the Cost of Living support package. We have larger utilities bills and food costs when compared to non-disabled people. We rely on these utilities and food to stay alive.”
The DWP response said: “Six million people in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit will receive a £150 payment in September. If they are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, they will also receive the £650 payment.”
The second petition, ‘Provide an energy grant to people with a disability or serious medical condition’, was created by Rachel Curtis and received more than 16,300 signatures of support on the petitions-parliament website.
The petition states: “The Government needs to provide a grant, so that people with a disability or serious medical condition can afford to run the equipment, or heating, they need to stay alive.
“It is not right that people living with conditions that require energy, should be punished for it, and sometimes face unmanageable debts with energy companies.”
The DWP response said: “The Government will provide approximately six million people across the UK, who receive certain disability benefits, with a one-off payment of £150 in September 2022.”
You will be able to watch the debate live on Parliament TV from 4.30pm on May 22, 2023.
Cost of living payment schedule 2023/24
£900 means-tested cost of living payment
- £301 - first payment from DWP is being made between April 25 and May 17, first payment from HMRC is being made between May 2 and May 9
- £300 – second payment is due in Autumn 2023
- £299 - third payment is due in Spring 2024
The qualifying period is January 26 - February 25, 2023, more details on the qualifying criteria can be found here.
This will be paid to eligible households receiving the following benefits:
- Universal Credit - you must be awarded at least one penny during the qualifying period, find out more here
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit - paid by HMRC between May 2 and May 9 if no other DWP means-tested benefit is also claimed
- Child Tax Credit - paid by HMRC between May 2 and May 9 if no other DWP means-tested benefit is also claimed
This payment will be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.
£150 disability cost of living payment
- £150 - this one-off payment will be made during Summer 2023
This will be paid to eligible claimants receiving the following benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
This payment will be tax-free and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.
£300 Pensioner Payment
- £300 - this will be added to annual Winter Fuel Payments during Winter 2023/24
Older people also in receipt of Pension Credit will also qualify for the £900 means-tested cost of living payment and the £150 payment if they are receiving support through one of the listed disability benefits.
In total, pensioner households could get an income boost of £1,350 during 2023/24.
New Pension Credit claims and £301 cost of living payment
The DWP is also encouraging low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit to check their eligibility, as they can still qualify for the £301 cost of living payment if they make an application for Pension Credit application before May 19, 2023 which later turns out to be successful.
This is because Pension Credit is a retrospective benefit that can be backdated by up to three months, taking it to within the qualifying period (January 26 - February 25).
To keep up to date with the latest benefits 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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