The Government rejected calls to increase the £150 cost of living rate for disabled Britons late last week.
In November 2023, the all-party Work and Pensions Committee published its report on whether pandemic-era financial support measures had achieved their aims of “protecting the most vulnerable”.
While the cost of living payments are welcome, the £150 for disabled people has been deemed insufficient to deal with the wider cost of living crisis.
Sir Stephen Timms MP, chair of the work and pensions committee, said: “Although support payments have had an important impact in helping people in need, some have either not received or missed out on sufficient help.”
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The government has not committed to paying more for the cost of living to support people with disabilities
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During the cost of living crisis, various support payments were offered to vulnerable groups, including £150 for people with disabilities and £900 for means-tested benefit claimants.
The committee found that there was insufficient explanation as to why the £150 payment was identified as an appropriate payment for disabled people during rising costs of living.
The report urged the government to explain why this payment was considered sufficient, and suggested increasing financial support for people with disabilities in proportion to the additional costs borne by people with disabilities, if there are future payments.
In its response, the government criticized the report’s recommendation that any future cost of living support payments should take into account family size.
It also did not accept the Commission’s proposal that anyone who missed a payment because they received regular earnings on a non-monthly basis should be issued the missing payment in the purge system.
The government has not answered why £150 is considered a reasonable amount for people with disabilities.
Furthermore, the government has not determined whether the amount is sufficient for people who are unable to claim the £900.
A plan to introduce a further £150 disability cost of living payment later this year has not been announced.
The government confirmed in its statement that it had given 6.4 million Britons with disabilities an additional £150 in cost-of-living payments “at a cost of £1 billion”.
The government added: “The Department estimates that during 2023/24, approximately 60 per cent of individuals receiving eligible disability benefit will receive additional support through the payment of means-tested benefits.
“More than 85 per cent will receive one or both cost of living and pension payments.
“When setting the level of cost of living payments, the government believes it is right that the highest amount should go to those on means-tested benefits because those with the lowest incomes will be most vulnerable to a rise in the cost of living.”