Cost of living payments

This page gives information about help with the cost of living for people with complex disabilities. It explains what cost of living payments you may be entitled to. 

Find out more about:

Support for everyone

The government has announced these measures to support everyone in the UK through the cost of living crisis:

  • The Energy Price Guarantee will keep the average household cost of energy at £2,500 annually. This guarantee is in place until the end of June 2023. This doesn’t mean that your bills won’t be higher than £2,500, but it helps keep the overall cost of energy down.
  • All households in Great Britain received a reduction of £400 off their energy bills in 2022, under the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This was applied directly to households’ energy accounts from October 2022 to April 2023.
  • In Northern Ireland, all households will receive a £600 payment to help with their energy bills, starting January 2023.
  • Pensioners who normally get a Winter Fuel Payment also received a £150 or £300 cost of living payment in 2022. Find out more about the pensioners’ cost of living payment.

Will benefits increase in 2023?

Benefits have increased by 10.1% in April 2023. This is in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate of inflation. 

We welcome the government’s announcement that benefits will be uprated in line with inflation. But we still think there’s more work to be done to support everyone who needs it.

Join Sense’s cost of living campaign

Help from your energy supplier

Lots of the UK’s energy suppliers have grants available for people who are struggling to pay their bills. 

To find out more, contact your supplier directly, or check this list of suppliers who offer grants from Citizens Advice.

If you or someone in your household is disabled, you might also be eligible to sign up for your supplier’s priority services register. This usually means you’ll get extra support such as:

  • Bills in a format you can read (like braille).
  • Support during power cuts.
  • Someone to check your meter for you.

Find out more about signing up for priority services from Citizens Advice.

Find out more about help for disabled people with energy and food costs.

Cost of living payments for people on means-tested benefits

In 2022, the government paid out £650 cost of living payments to people on the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit.
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
  • Income-related Employment Support Allowance. 
  • Income Support. 
  • Working Tax Credit. 
  • Child Tax Credit.
  • Pension Credit. 

This cost of living payment does not count towards the benefit cap. 

In 2023-2024, there will be a total of £900 in cost of living payments for most people on the benefits listed above. 

The first instalment of £301 will be paid out between 25 April and 17 May 2023.

The next two instalments will be paid in autumn 2023 and spring 2024. Visit gov.uk for more information on future instalments.

How to claim your cost of living payment

This cost of living payment was paid out automatically to eligible people in 2022.

The payments will also happen automatically in 2023. You don’t need to do anything. 

If you think you should have received this payment but you haven’t, you can report a missing cost of living payment using this form. 

Disability cost of living payments 

In autumn 2022, the government gave £150 cost of living payments to people who receive the following benefits:

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
  • Attendance Allowance.
  • Constant Attendance Allowance.
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment.
  • War Pension Mobility Supplement.

It did not count towards the benefit cap, and does not affect any existing benefit awards. 

In 2023, another £150 cost of living payment will be made to people who receive these benefits. This will be paid during summer 2023. Visit gov.uk for more information.

How to claim your cost of living payment

This payment was paid out automatically to eligible people from 20 September 2022. 

The same will happen in 2023. You don’t need to do anything. 

If you think you should have received this payment but you haven’t, you can report a missing cost of living payment using this form. 

Make sure you’re getting the benefits you’re entitled to

You can use the Turn2Us benefits calculator to check if you’re eligible for any benefits.

Find out more about the support available for disabled adults, carers and parents of disabled children:

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This content was last reviewed in April 2023. We’ll review it again next year.