Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the £150 million additional energy support package for disabled people was calculated at the rate proposed.

At Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced that it will provide a further Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 in 2023/24 to people in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance. This is additional to the £150 payment for recipients of disability benefits in 2022/23 already announced as part of the Cost of Living package in May 2022.

The Disability Cost of Living payment will be paid on an individual basis, so multiple individuals on disability benefits in the same household will each receive the Disability Cost of Living Payment. Individuals on disability benefits in a household receiving means-tested benefits will also receive the £900 Cost of Living Payment, and disabled pensioner households will receive the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. Payments have been set at this level to protect the most vulnerable, whilst taking every possible step to limit the overall cost to taxpayers.

These households will also benefit through the uprating of their benefits by September CPI (10.1%) from April 2023, ensuring they retain their value in relation to prices.