UK households claiming disability benefits will get a boost to their payments next year with rates set to rise from April.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has confirmed that Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will increase by 1.7% from April, in line with the previous September rate of inflation.
PIP and DLA are among nine benefits which the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is legally required to increase every year, whereas other benefits, such as Universal Credit, are subject to parliamentary approval.
PIP is awarded to people who have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of their condition.
The payment is to help with extra living costs and is paid in two parts – a daily living part, if you need help with everyday tasks, and a mobility part if you need help with getting around.
PIP is paid every four weeks and the maximum you could get is £737.30 (if you get the higher rate of the daily living and mobility parts). Rates will increase by 1.7% from April 2025, taking the maximum amount you could get over a four-week pay period to £749.80. The new payment rates from April next year are:
Daily living part
Mobility part
People claiming DLA will also see payments uprated by 1.7% from April. The benefit is made up of two components – the ‘care’ component and the ‘mobility component’. You must be eligible for at least one of these to get DLA.
You may qualify for the care component if you need help with things like washing, dressing, cooking, eating and using the toilet, and you may get the mobility part if, when using normal aid, you cannot walk, can only walk a short distance without discomfort, or you could become ill if you try to walk.
Currently, the care component is paid at a rate of £28.70 (lowest), £72.65 (middle) and £108.55 (highest) per week. From April, these payments will increase by 1.7% to £29.20 (lowest), £73.89 (middle) and £110.40 (highest).
The mobility component is currently paid at a rate of £28.70 (lower) or £75.75 (higher) per week. These rates will also rise by 1.7% from April meaning claimants will get £29.20 (lower) or £77.04 (higher).
It means claimants who are claiming the highest level of both the care and mobility components would get £187.44 extra cash per week, which over the course of a four week pay period would amount to £749.76 in total.
