Government Announces Major Boost for Disabled Adults with 7% MIG Increase and £723 Million for Home Adaptations
There has been a positive and warm response to the government's recent announcements regarding significant financial support for disabled adults. The measures include a substantial 7% increase to the Minimum Income Guarantee for working-age disabled adults who receive social care, as well as a commitment of £723 million specifically for home adaptations for disabled individuals.
Financial Relief for Over 150,000 Disabled Adults
Starting from April, more than 150,000 disabled adults across the country will experience tangible financial benefits. Eligible individuals will be able to retain at least £400 more each year, with those qualifying for the disability premium potentially keeping up to £510 additional annually. This uplift represents the largest above-inflation increase to the Minimum Income Guarantee in over a decade, marking a crucial step in addressing the financial pressures faced by many disabled people.
Charity Leaders Welcome the Changes
Jon Sparkes, the chief executive of Mencap, expressed strong support for the government's decision. He stated that ministers have listened to the concerns of people with learning disabilities regarding how social care charging affects their household costs and overall wellbeing. Sparkes highlighted that Mencap has campaigned on this issue for an extended period, noting that for many years, the rates did not increase at all, leading to real hardship for individuals.
He emphasized that the ultimate goal is to build a society where social care is free at the point of need and where no one with a learning disability must use their benefits to pay for care. Sparkes described the 7% increase as an inflation-busting measure and a welcome step in the right direction.
Disability charity Sense also welcomed the announcement, stating that the increase will make a tangible difference to disabled people who are grappling with rising living costs and ongoing financial pressures. Kate Lawson, the charity's head of policy, public affairs, and research, added that this is a welcome and long-overdue step that will put more money back into disabled people's pockets at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet.
Lawson explained that many disabled people with complex needs face barriers that increase their everyday costs, often forcing them to make impossible choices between paying for care and covering essential living expenses. She noted that increasing the Minimum Income Guarantee provides vital reassurance that support with care should not come at the expense of basic living costs.
Investment in Home Adaptations
Sense also strongly welcomed the continued investment in the Disabled Facilities Grant, which supports older and disabled people in adapting their homes. Last year, approximately 60,000 people benefited from these grants, which funded adaptations such as level-access showers, lifts, and smart assistive technology.
More than £124 million has been earmarked for North West councils to allocate to disabled people for these purposes. Kate Lawson emphasized that home adaptations are not a luxury but are life-changing. From accessible bathrooms to ramps, bed hoists, and lifts, these modifications enable disabled people to live safely and independently in their own homes.
Lawson further explained that having the right adaptations in place allows people to live the lives they choose, maintain relationships, stay connected to their communities, and avoid unnecessary hospital stays. She described investing in home adaptations as one of the most practical and cost-effective ways to support independence while easing pressure on the NHS and social care services.
Part of Broader Government Action
These changes form part of the government's broader action to support those most in need with the cost of living, while simultaneously reforming adult social care and improving independence. Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock added that the government is determined not only to reform adult social care but to do so in a way that helps some of the most vulnerable people in society with the daily pressures they face.
Kinnock stated that these steps are part of wider plans to build a National Care Service rooted in quality, fairness, and dignity for all who use it. To reform adult social care, the government has committed £4.6 billion by 2028-29, including £500 million for the first-ever Fair Pay Agreement to bolster the recruitment and retention of care workers.
A new body will be established to negotiate changes to workers' pay and terms and conditions, involving both employers and trade unions. This comprehensive approach aims to create a more sustainable and equitable social care system for the future.
