Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit payment designed to assist those with the additional expenses that arise from having a long-term disability or illness. It is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and awarded at either a higher or lower rate, depending on the severity of the claimant’s condition. To help with the cost of living, the previous Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed the rollout of an extra £150 payment for those with a disability.
Due to PIP being the DWP’s main disability benefit payment, claimants will be eligible to claim this support.
However to qualify for this extra support, recipients must be eligible for already existing PIP payments on May 25, 2022.
The DWP has confirmed the £150 will be paid into peoples’ bank and building society accounts sometime this September.
It should be noted that claimants of other benefit payments may qualify for this cost of living assistance.
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Who is eligible for the extra £150 payment?
Outside of PIP, the following disability benefit payments from the DWP qualify someone for the extra £150:
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Adult Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Child Disability Payment (in Scotland)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
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On top of this, those with a disability will be able to claim the Government’s £400 energy bill grant and the £650 cost of living payment, if they are in receipt of means-tested benefits from the DWP.
With today’s announcement that the energy price cap will hit £3,459 from October and forecasts of double-digit inflation for the next year, advocacy groups are calling for more cost of living support to support those with a disability.
Nick Hartley, the CEO of Spinal Injuries Association, is among the many calling for “much bolder action” to be taken.
Mr Hartley explained: “We are asking for the Government to take much bolder action to ease the financial situation for spinal cord injured people immediately and over the coming months.
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“Without greater intervention many disabled people simply will not be able to pay for the energy which they require throughout the winter.
“Until that action is taken there is only limited help available to disabled people facing ever increasing fuel bills.”
Tom Marsland, the policy manager at disability equality charity Scope, added: “After months of harrowing predictions about energy bills, today’s announcement confirms disabled people’s fears.
“Life already costs more for disabled people. Now the cost of charging a wheelchair or using a breathing machine will have almost trebled in a year.
“We’ve been inundated with calls from disabled people who don’t know which way to turn and feel like they are being punished for using more energy.
“The Government must intervene now. They should start by doubling the support package, and look at bringing in discounted tariffs for disabled customers who need more energy.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We recognise people are struggling with rising prices which is why we are protecting millions of the most vulnerable families with at least £1,200 of direct payments, starting with the £326 cost of living payment, which has already been issued to more than seven million low-income households.
“Through our £37billion support package we are saving the typical employee over £330 a year through a tax cut, allowing people on Universal Credit to keep £1,000 more of what they earn, while all households will receive £400 energy payments.”
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