A new online petition calling on the UK Government to give all disabled people and unpaid carers the £650 means-tested Cost of Living Payment has passed the 10,000 signature threshold which triggers an official response.
The petition, created earlier this month on the petitions-parliament website by Abigail Broomfield, highlights how these two groups - some 12.5 million in total across the UK - have higher utility bills and food costs.
More than 10,485 people have shown their support for the petition - at the time of writing - which 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.”
Ms Broomfield also issued a grave warning to the UK Government: “Without including disabled people for the full £650 entitlement, many more disabled people could die.
“We might have to switch off or use our equipment less which is vital for our survival. We could be unable to purchase specific food for our dietary requirements.
"We might be unable to be warm. This could lead to more hospitalisations and death.”
We will share the UK Government’s response to the ‘Make people on disability benefits eligible for the £650 one off payment’ petition, once it has been published.
You can read the full details of the petition, which closes on December 6, 2022, here.
Around six million people who receive disability benefits will get a one-off payment of £150 by the end of September and those also in receipt of a mean-tested benefit will receive an additional £650.
This will be made in two instalments - the first for £326 will be paid from July 14 and the second in the autumn.
£150 Cost of Living Payment qualifying benefits
The £150 ‘Disability Cost of Living Payment’ will be paid to people receiving these benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Attendance Allowance
- Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only)
- Child Disability Payment (Scotland only)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
Eligibility for £650 Cost of Living Payment
Disabled people also receiving one of the means-tested benefits below will receive the £650 payment too:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
If you receive a DWP means-tested benefit and Tax Credits, DWP will pay the £650 in two parts as outlined above (£326 from July 14).
If you only receive Tax Credits, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will pay you in two instalments - once in the autumn and another in the winter. No specific dates have been released yet.
Full details of all Cost of Living Payments can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
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