Britons claiming certain disability benefits are due to receive a £150 cost of living payment starting from June 20.
The payments form part of a £26billion support package to assist vulnerable Britons with rising prices, as inflation remains at a high 8.7 percent.
Millions of people will get this government support, but a charity is warning that this £150 falls short of covering higher costs that disabled people face every month.
Campaigners said the £150 cost of living payment is “a mere drop in the ocean” with almost three-quarters of disabled households pushed into debt.
Sense, the national charity, is calling for long-term and targeted financial support for disabled households, as the charity warns that a one-off payment of £150 falls far short.
As a charity that supports people with complex disabilities, they are calling for extra support to ensure these people are not left in debt.
Richard Kramer, Chief Executive of Sense, said: “While the £150 payment will bring some temporary relief, it’s a mere drop in the ocean amid rising costs and the devastating impact these are having on disabled people and their families.
“Disabled households are particularly impacted by spiralling costs, with many people dependent on energy-intensive equipment such as powered wheelchairs and feeding machines.
“The increased costs of running this equipment, alongside other key expenses such as paying for accessible transport and specialist diets, have already pushed almost three-quarters of disabled households into debt.
“The £150 payment for many households will barely scratch the surface and will be going towards paying off debt rather than helping with current costs.
“The crisis is worsening and the government isn’t doing enough to help. We are urging the government to recognise the full impact of rising costs on disabled people and bring in a long-term plan of targeted support which addresses the additional expenses disabled people face.”
A statement from the DWP recently outlined that most of those being paid a disability benefit that qualifies them for the £150 payment will receive it automatically during a two-week window starting on June 20 and finishing on July 4.
Britons could qualify to receive the payment if they receive any of the following disability benefits during a specified qualifying period.
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance for adults
- Disability Living Allowance for Children
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement.
To qualify for this year’s payment, people must have received a payment (or later receive a payment) of one of these qualifying benefits on April 1, 2023.
Disabled people on low incomes in receipt of means-tested benefits may previously have been eligible for £301 this spring, and stand to be eligible for a further £300 this autumn and £299 in spring 2024, which forms the rest of the main cost of living payment worth £900 in total.
There will also be further payments of £300 for pensioners due later this year, meaning some of the most vulnerable households could receive up to £1,350 indirect cost of living payments support.
Other help available
As the cost of living crisis continues, pensioners are urged to claim all the benefits they may be entitled to such as:
- Pension Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
For more information, people can visit www.ageuk.org.uk.
A Government spokesperson said: “Our welfare system provides a strong safety net for people with disabilities, with more than six million people due to get another £150 disability support payment next week. This is on top of £900 Cost of Living help, a 10.1% increase to disability benefits and saving the typical household around £1,300 on energy bills last winter.
“We are also investing £2million to help more disabled people try work without the worry of losing support – shifting the focus to what people can do, not what they can’t.”
