Cost of living disability payment: when will one-off £150 benefit be paid - who is eligible for allowance

Around six million people will receive a one-off £150 disabilitycost of living payment from today.

The payment is to help people with disabilities who often face higher related costs regarding care and mobility needs, and is part of a package of government support for households as living costs soar.

Those being paid a qualifying disability benefit will be paid automatically from Tuesday 20 September. The vast majority of those eligible for the support are expected to receive their one-off payment by the start of October, the UK Government has said.

Further details about measures to help households and businesses are expected this week.

Here’s everything you need to know about the cost of living disability payment.

Who is eligible?

Those who may be eligible for the payment include people receiving:

• The disability living allowance
• Personal independence payment
• Attendance allowance
• Scottish disability benefits (adult disability payment and child disability payment)
• Armed forces independence payment
• Constant attendance allowance
• War pension mobility supplement

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.”

More than eight million eligible households in receipt of means-tested benefits received the first of two automatic cost-of-living payments of £326 from 14 July. The second means-tested payment of £324 will be issued later this year.

How will it be paid?

Payments will be automatic, so people should watch out for texts and emails from fraudsters asking for their personal details. People are being urged to be alert to scammers targeting those expecting cost-of-living payments.

Those being paid the benefit will be paid automatically any time from Tuesday 20 September.

More information about the UK government’s cost-of-living support is available online.

Why is there a cost of living support payment?

From 1 October a new energy price guarantee will mean an average household will pay no more than £2,500 a year on their energy bill for the next two years. This news was shortly followed by the death of the Queen - leaving some questions about the support yet to be answered.

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.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi said: “We know that rising prices faced by many countries around the world are a significant worry for many people here in the UK, especially those most vulnerable to additional costs.”

He said the disability payment “reinforces our commitment to help UK households through the challenging times ahead.”

Mr Zahawi added: “This payment is in addition to further help households can expect over the coming months – including a second cost of living payment of £324 for households on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioners this winter and £400 discount on energy bills for every household. This is all part of our significant £37 billion support package.”