Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Rejected
Paragraph: 75
Increase future cost of living financial support for disabled people proportionate to additional costs.
Recommendation
Should there be future cost of living payments, or similar ad hoc support, the Government should increase the financial support for those with disabilities in proportion to the additional costs that they incur.
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation for future disability cost of living payments to be proportional to additional costs, explaining its current approach prioritizes higher payments for those on means-tested benefits due to their vulnerability.
Paragraph Reference:
75
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The Department outlined above the broad range of support the Government has provided to support people with cost of living pressures. In addition, the Government will be spending around £78 billion this financial year on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions. In terms of Cost of Living Payments in 2022, the Department provided six million disabled people in receipt of a qualifying extra-costs disability benefit with a Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 at a cost of £900 million. This year (2023/24) it has provided 6.4 million disabled people with a further £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment at a cost of £1 billion. The Department estimates that over 2023/24 nearly 60% of individuals that receive a qualifying disability benefit will receive additional support through a means- tested benefit payment, and over 85% will receive either or both of the means-tested and Pensioner Cost of Living Payment. In setting the level of the Cost of Living Payments, the Government believes that it is right that the highest amount goes to those on means-tested benefits as those on the lowest incomes will be most vulnerable to rises in the cost of living.