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Are you one of six million people claiming disability benefits? You should get your £150 cost of living payment from today

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Sophie King
Sophie King
News Reporter
20 September 2022

If you claim disability benefits you should be sent a £150 one-off cost of living payment from today (20 September), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed. Here's all you need to know on whether you're eligible for the money.

The Government began handing out a £650 cost of living payment to eligible households in July, and according to recent figures, over 8.1 million people have now been paid. But those receiving certain disability benefits will get an extra £150 one-off top-up. All those eligible will begin receiving their £150 from today, with the majority receiving theirs within the first couple of weeks of October.

We breakdown who's eligible and how you'll be paid below, plus what to do if you don't receive your payment and think you should. At the end of the article we also provide details of the Warm Home Discount, a separate payment to help vulnerable people in the UK pay for their energy.

If you're struggling with the cost of living crisis, see our cost of living survival guide, which is full of useful tips on how to cut costs.

Those on certain disability benefits are eligible for the £150 top-up

If you receive any of the following benefits, you could be eligible for the extra cash:

  • Adult disability payment (in Scotland)

  • Armed Forces independence payment

  • Attendance allowance

  • Child disability payment (in Scotland)

  • Constant attendance allowance

  • Disability living allowance for adults

  • Disability living allowance for children

  • Personal independence payment

  • War pension mobility supplement

You must have received a benefit payment before 25 May 2022 to get the money

In order to get the £150, you must have received one of the above benefits by 25 May 2022. Or, if you started to make a claim by 25 May and the claim ended or ends up being successful, you should also get the payment. 

DWP said those who had confirmed payment of their disability benefit for 25 May - i.e. were already receiving or had successfully applied by then - are expected to be paid shortly after the payment window opens today (20 September). For those still waiting for confirmation of their disability benefits on 25 May, or who are waiting to be assessed for eligibility to receive disability benefits, the process may take longer.

Payments will be automatic - you do not need to apply

If you're eligible for the £150 payment, you shouldn't need to apply. If you're eligible, you'll be paid automatically in the same way you usually get your benefits or tax credits. 

However, be warned that if you get a cost of living payment and DWP later finds you weren't eligible, you may have to pay it back. 

If you don't receive your payment but are expecting it, contact DWP

This could be for one of several reasons:

  • You're still waiting for a decision on your benefit application or appeal - if you're eligible, you'll get the payment automatically later.

  • You're not eligible for it. You can check if you're eligible on Gov.uk

If you DON'T meet any of the criteria directly above but think you're eligible and haven't got your payment by mid-October, you can contact DWP to appeal. You can do this by calling the number on your benefits claim letter, or by logging into your online benefits account. You'll need to provide your National Insurance number, so make sure you've got this to hand.

To appeal an unsuccessful claim, follow this link here

Check if you qualify for a bigger cost of living support payment

To be eligible for the wider £650 cost of living payment, which will be paid in two parts, you need to be in receipt of any of the following benefits:

  • Child tax credit

  • Income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA)

  • Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)

  • Income support

  • Pension credit

  • Universal credit

  • Working tax credit 

If you started to make a benefits claim by 25 April 2022 and the claim ended up being successful, you will be eligible for both parts of the payment. As outlined above, most claimants have now received the first £326 payment. 

The second payment of £324 will come in the autumn for those who don't only claim child tax credit or working tax credit. You will also be eligible for this if you're entitled to any of the applicable benefits now but weren't before 25 May, so make sure you claim ASAP to get at least £324. We've asked the DWP for a qualifying date for the second payment and it said it should be able to provide this next month. 

You can use our 10-minute benefits checker calculator to see what you could qualify for. Benefits are not only available to those out of work – even some families with an income of £50,000 or more can get help. 

If you only claim child tax credit or working tax credit, you would have needed to have received a tax credit payment, or an annual award of at least £26, on any day between 26 April and 25 May 2022 to be eligible. If you are, you should get a first payment of £326 in September, followed by a second payment from winter 2022. 

You don't need to apply for the grant. If you're eligible you'll automatically receive the money straight into your bank account. 

Don't forget about the Warm Home Discount

If you get pension credit or are on certain benefits you should also get the £150 warm home discount payment, which is paid automatically. The scheme requires suppliers with more than 50,000 customers to help vulnerable people in the UK pay for their energy.

However, some people on certain disability benefits, such as DLA, PIP or attendance allowance, who got the payment previously won't get it this winter as the Government changed the rules on who is and isn't eligible in April.

For those that will get it, the money isn't paid to you – it's a £150 rebate applied to your electricity or gas bill between October and March. If you're on a prepay meter, you'll usually be sent a top-up voucher. See full details in our Housing and energy grants guide

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Six million disabled people to get their £150 cost of living payment from 20 September

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