The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that state pensioners with severe disabilities can receive an additional payment of £86.05 per week in June. This amounts to £344 per month, providing crucial financial support for those with specific health conditions.
Severe Disability Premium Increase
The severe disability premium (SDP) rate rose by 3.8% in April, increasing weekly payments to £86.05. This premium is available to state pensioners who qualify for Pension Credit and meet certain criteria.
Eligible Benefits
To qualify for the extra payment, pensioners must be receiving one of the following seven benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- Middle or highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
- Daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Middle or highest rate care component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance
How Pension Credit Works with Severe Disability
The DWP explains that individuals receiving Attendance Allowance, the middle or highest rate care component of DLA, PIP, Scottish Adult Disability Payment, or AFIP may be entitled to an extra £86.05 per week through Pension Credit. Additionally, those receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment could qualify for an extra £48.15 per week.
Pensioners may also receive the extra Pension Credit if they have an underlying entitlement to Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment, meaning they would qualify but are not receiving the full amount due to higher payments from other benefits like State Pension.
Government Confirmation
Labour Baroness Sherlock previously stated that most benefits would increase by 3.8%, including statutory sick pay, statutory maternity pay, and personal allowances for income support, housing benefit, jobseeker’s allowance, and contributory employment and support allowance. The uprating order also increases child amounts, carer amounts, and transitional severe disability premiums in Universal Credit, as well as pensioner and carer premiums in income-related employment and support allowance.
The uprating order commits the department to increased expenditure of £2 billion in 2026-27. Benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, and Personal Independence Payment will rise in line with the Consumer Prices Index from September 2025.
