MILLIONS of disability benefit claimants are due a £150 cost of living payment.
The direct cash payments began on September 20, but only a handful of claimants have received the cash so far.
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The one-off cash sum will be dropped directly into people’s bank accounts to help cushion rampant inflation and soaring bills.
The majority of eligible people on disability benefits have yet to receive the one-off £150 cost of living payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Department for Work and Pensions has admitted it has only been able to send out a limited number of payments due to “operational issues” – but confirmed “everyone” will be paid by the start of October, according to Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website.
A DWP spokesperson said: “We completely understand many people may be anxious because they have not yet received their £150 Disability Cost of Living payment.
“But we want to reiterate that payments will be made automatically and the vast majority of people will receive them by early October.
“While some people were paid last week, the majority of people will be paid this week. Anyone who has not been paid yet should wait until early October before querying their payment with the Department.
Six million people are eligible for the £150 payment because they claim certain disability related benefits.
Who is eligible for the £150 payment?
Millions of people on disability benefits are eligible for the one-off payment.
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You can get the cash if you claim one of the following:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
Claimants must have received, or begun an eventually successful claim for one of these benefits, as of May 25 this year to be eligible for the £150 payment.
The money is on top of the £650 payment you can get if you’re on certain means-test benefits including Universal Credit.
How do I claim the money?
You shouldn’t have to do anything to get the money if you are eligible for it.
The cash should be paid directly into the account where you receive your benefits payments,
The money is also exempt from tax and won’t count towards the benefit cap or impact existing benefit awards.
The money is expected to start arriving from September, but it may take a few weeks before all the payments are made.
The Government said the majority of people will receive their money within a couple of weeks, and by the beginning of October.
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your bank statements around this time to check it arrives.
If you’re still awaiting confirmation of your disability benefits from a claim that was put in by May 25, your payment may take longer to arrive.
What other bill help is coming?
From October the first, all households will start to receive a £400 energy bill discount.
The payment will be dished out by your energy supplier and will be split across six discounts between October and March next year.
Households will receive a £66 energy bill discount in October and November and a discount worth £67 in December, January, February and March.
In November, a £300 one-off “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” will be paid out to eight million households.
It will be given to those who already get the winter fuel payment – which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
Millions of households are in line to get the £150 Warm Home Discount between December and March 2023.
