Cost of Living Help | Disability Rights UK

Over 8 million claimants will get £900 in three payments, whilst 6 million disability benefit will get an additional £150 and 8 million pensioners will get £300 in addition to their winter fuel payments.

For 2023/2024, the DWP has said that a new £900 “cash boost” will be paid as before to eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including those on:

universal credit
income-based jobseeker’s allowance
income-related employment and support allowance
income support
pension credit
child tax credit
working tax credit

Payments will start in Spring 2023 and will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the course of the financial year.

There will also be a separate £150 to disabled people who receive:

disability living allowance,
personal independence payment,
attendance allowance,
Scottish disability benefits,
armed forces independence payment,
constant attendance allowance
war pension mobility supplement

In addition, £300 will be given to pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments.

These payments will all be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.

While exact payment dates will be announced closer to the time, they will be “spread across a longer period to ensure a consistent support offering throughout the year”.

They will be broadly as follows:

£301 – First Cost of Living Payment – will be made from 25 April 2023
£150 – Disability Payment – during Summer 2023
£300 – Second Cost of Living Payment – during Autumn 2023
£300 – Pensioner Payment – during Winter 2023/4
£299 – Third Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2024

In addition the following payments made at the same amount as 2022:

£150 – Disability Cost of Living Payment – during Summer 2023
£300 – Pensioner Cost of Living Payment – during Winter 2023/4

Those eligible for the new payments should not have to apply as they will be paid automatically by the DWP.

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Other cost of living help

Cold Weather Payments

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

The Cold Weather Payment scheme runs from 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Check if you can get a payment in your area.

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Household Support Fund

Help with essential costs may be available from your local council.

This could help if you’re struggling to afford things like:

energy and water bills
food
essential items

You do not have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council.

Authorities should consider providing support to disabled people in their area.

Disabled people in particular may be facing acute challenges due to the disproportionate impact that rising costs bring for the additional services they need in order to manage their conditions, remain independent and avoid becoming socially isolated.

For example, some disabled people may have increased utility bills due to the usage of equipment, aids or adaptations associated with their disability.

They may also have additional heating, water or transport costs. Authorities are therefore encouraged to explore ways in which this group may be supported and must record the total value of awards granted to disabled people

If you get benefits, they will not be affected if you get a payment from a Household Support Fund scheme.

For more information see Get help with the cost of living from your local council available from gov.uk.

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Other help with the cost of living information resources

Help with certain disability related costs:

If you use an oxygen machine as part of your home oxygen therapy, Baywater Healthcare, on behalf of the NHS, will refund you for any electricity your machine uses.

Non-Residential Charges: Paying towards the cost of your care and support at home available from disabilityrightsuk.org.

Household gadgets and equipment to make life easier available from nhs.uk.

Household Support Fund grants available from gov.uk.

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