PRESS RELEASE : £150 Disability Cost of Living Payments begin this month [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 20 September 2022.

• Six million people who are paid certain disability benefits will begin to receive a one-off payment of £150 from today
• Payments are part of the government’s wider £37 billion support package, including the Energy Price Guarantee and cost of living payments totalling £650

Those who had confirmed payment of their disability benefit for 25 May will receive the £150 automatically, with the vast majority to be paid by early October.

The payment will help disabled people with the rising cost of living, acknowledging the higher disability-related costs they often face, such as for care and mobility needs.

The cost of living payments from the government are part of a £37 billion package of support, which will see millions of households receive at least £1,200 this year to help cover rising costs, and follows the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new Energy Price Guarantee for the next two winters saving households on average £1,000 a year on their energy bills.

Work and Pensions Secretary Chloe Smith said:

We know disabled people face additional costs and this government is listening and taking decisive action to protect the most vulnerable in our society.

In addition to the £150 Disability Cost of Living payment, households will save an average of £1,000 a year through our new Energy Price Guarantee and the lowest-income households will receive at least £1,200 to help with the rising cost of living this year.

This multi-billion-pound package of support reinforces our commitment to help UK households, particularly those with disability challenges, through the tough times ahead.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng said:

The government is providing vital support to shield the most vulnerable from rising prices caused by global economic challenges.

From today, a one-off £150 payment will automatically land in over six million disabled peoples’ accounts. This is in addition to the decisive action we took last week to hold down energy bills over the next two years, saving the average household £1,000 a year.

The government is standing behind people this winter, and in the longer term we are focusing on driving economic growth – the only way to permanently boost everyone’s living standards.