The £150 disability cost of living payment: who will get it and when?

The £150 disability payment is a one-off, tax-free payment that will be paid to disabled people who claim, or are in the process of claiming certain disability benefits. It is due in September. 

It was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the House of Commons last month as part of his £15 billion cost of living support package, which also included a £400 energy grant, £650 for the most vulnerable and £300 for pensioners.

It means that around six million people around the UK who receive disability benefits will get this one-off cost of living payment of £150 by the end of September.

This top-up payment has been welcomed by disabled charities. James Taylor, Director of Strategy at disability equality charity Scope (opens in new tab) said: 

“The Chancellor has importantly acknowledged that life costs more if you are disabled.  This package is a significant short-term boost to disabled people whose backs are against the wall, but inflation and energy prices are still running riot, and disabled people are much more likely to live in poverty”.

Who will get the £150 disability payment?

You will get a lump sum payment of £150 if you receive certain disability benefits, or were in the process of making a successful claim as of 25th May 2022.  

The benefits you need to be claiming or applying for are:

• Disability Living Allowance for adults
• Disability Living Allowance for children 
• Personal Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Scottish Disability Benefits (known as Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• War Pension Mobility Supplement

You must have received a payment of one of these qualifying benefits for May 25, 2022 to get the payment. 

If you are someone who gets a disability benefit from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and a disability benefit from the DWP, you will get the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment from DWP only.

The £150 disability payment is tax free, and won’t count towards the benefits cap or affect any existing benefits you currently claim.

Who won’t qualify for the £150 disability benefit?

The £150 payment will be paid to those claiming certain disability benefits, however crucially it means those claiming, or with claims in, on 25 May.  

It means that if you apply for disability benefits beyond this date, or your earlier application is turned down, you won’t get the extra money. 

The £150 disability payment won’t apply to carers, who may face extra costs in carrying out caring responsibilities for family members, but if they are on means-tested benefits, they will be due the £650 payment for low income households, which is also part of the Government’s cost of living support package.

How will I get the £150 payment?

The £150 disability payment will be made from September.

If you are eligible for it, you don’t have to do anything. There is no need to apply for it as payment should be made automatically and paid directly to the account that your benefits get paid into.   

If you are eligible for it, you may also qualify for other payments in the cost of living package. If for example, you are on a low income, and claim Universal Credit, you may also be due the £650 payment, which is being given to 8 million low-income households, who are on means tested benefits.