Six million disabled people will receive £150 payments from 20 September to help them cope with bills as the cost of living soars, the Government has confirmed.
Those who were already receiving one of the qualifying disability benefits on 25 May should receive their payments automatically within a couple of weeks of the start date.
The process will be longer but still automatic for anyone who was waiting for confirmation of their disability benefits on 25 May, or who is currently waiting to be assessed.
More help: The £150 disability payment is intended to assist people with the higher bills they often face for care and mobility needs
The disability benefits that qualify you for the one-off £150 payments are: Disability Living Allowance; Personal Independence Payment; Attendance Allowance; Scottish Disability Benefits (Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment) Armed Forces Independence Payment; Constant Attendance Allowance; and War Pension Mobility Supplement. Find out more about disability benefits here.
The Bank of England has forecast the headline rate of inflation will top 13 per cent this autumn, while investment bank Citi has forecast it could peak at a near 50-year-high of 18.6 per cent early next year amid soaring energy prices.
Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £15billion package of measures to help people struggling to afford surging household bills earlier this year.
This includes the £650 payment for those on means-tested benefits, including pension credit, and an extra £300 for eight million pensioner households to help them cover rising energy costs this winter.
The Department for Work and Pensions says the £150 disability payment is intended to help people with the higher bills they often face for care and mobility needs.
‘We know disabled people can face additional costs, which is why we are acting to help reduce the financial pressures on the most vulnerable,’ says Chloe Smith, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work.
‘This £150 disability payment is on top of the £1,200 most low income benefit claimants will also receive and alongside wider support targeted at disabled people, including help with transport and prescription costs.’
‘We know it’s a worrying time for some people and I’d urge them to check they are getting all the support on offer by searching Help for Households.’
Cost of living payments explained
The Government says its total £37billion package of support will see millions of households receive help to cover rising costs.
It has expanded support for the Household Support Fund in England, which helps people with food and energy bills, with an extra £421million this winter, and given devolved nations a funding top-up of £79million.
The deadline for elderly people on pension credit to receive the first £326 of the £650 payment for households on means-tested benefits has now passed. But there is still time to sign up for the second £324 half of the payment this autumn.
More than eight million households in receipt of a means-tested benefit received the first £326 payment from 14 July.
>>>Apply for pension credit here or ring 0800 99 1234.
