BUDGET BOOST
Pay boost for millions with disabilities as PIP and other DWP benefits set to rise in April
Benefits are set to increase by 1.7% in April providing a boost for millions
MILLIONS of people with disabilities are in line for a boost to their income in April when PIP and other DWP benefits increase.
Those who receive disability-related benefits will see the amount they receive rise by 1.7%.
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The boost is set to come in from April 6 and will benefit those who receive support including Personal Independence Payments (PIP) as well as Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.
Benefits typically rise each spring to keep up with the cost of daily essentials such as food, fuel and household bills.
And in October's Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed April's increase will go ahead as usual.
Of course, the exact increase in your payments will depend on your individual circumstances.
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We've outlined all the benefits impacted by the pay rise this year and the amounts they're set to increase by.
Attendance allowance
Attendance Allowance provides support for those who have reached State Pension age and have a disability or illness that requires someone to look after them.
It's paid at two different rates. How much people receive depends on the level of care they need.
Those who require frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night, will receive the lower rate, while the higher rate is paid to those who require supervision throughout the day and night.
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From April, the higher rate will increase from £108.55 a week to £110.40 a week, while the lower rate will go up from £72.65 to £73.90.
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Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
PIP is a benefit for people who are under State Pension age and need day-to-day help because of a long-term illness or disability.
To qualify for the allowance, you must find it hard to carry out everyday tasks because of a mental or physical condition.
You must have experienced this for at least three months and expect it to continue for at least another nine months.
Applicants can apply for a daily living component or mobility component, both of which are paid at higher and lower rates.
The daily living part is paid to those who need help with everyday tasks and the mobility part to those who need help getting around.
The living component has been paid out at a lower weekly rate of £72.65 and a higher weekly rate of £108.55.
From April, the lower rate will increase to £73.89 and the higher rate to £110.40.
The mobility component has been paid out at a higher rate of £75.75 and a lower rate of £28.70, but these sums will increase to £77.04 and £29.19.
You can receive both parts of PIP which means the maximum amount someone can claim from next April will increase from £184.30 to £187.44.
Universal Credit
Universal Credit was designed to replace a number of legacy benefits and is available to those who need help with their living costs.
It is available to those on a low income, out of work or who cannot work due to disability, injury or illness.
People in receipt of benefits including employment and support allowance (ESA) are in the process of being moved onto Universal Credit.
The rate at which the benefit is paid will increase in line with others at 1.7%.
The increase means the standard allowance basic rate of Universal Credit will rise by around £1.50 a week from its current level of £90.55.
Meanwhile, the basic rate for couples will go up by around £2.50 a week from the current level of £145.13.
The changes will mean a typical low-income family with two children would see its annual Universal Credit award rise by £253 from next April.
If you have a health condition or disability and are entitled to Universal Credit, you might also be eligible for the Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) payments.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses a Work Capability Assessment to determine which group people fall into.
Currently, those in the Limited Capability for Work group get £156.11 a month, but this will rise to £158.76 from April.
Anyone in the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity currently receives £416.19 a month, which will rise to £423.27.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Disability Living Allowance is in the process of being replaced by other benefits, but those who still receive it will see the amount they get go up.
DLA provides support for young people who have extra care or mobility needs because of a disability or health condition.
The DLA is made up of two parts: the care component and the mobility component, and it’s possible to claim for one or both of these depending on your circumstances.
The care component is paid out at three rates (highest, middle, lower) and the mobility component at two rates (higher and lower).
The highest rate of the care component will increase from £108.55 a week to £110.40, the middle rate from £72.65 to £73.90 and the lowest rate from £28.70 to £29.20.
The higher rate of the mobility component will increase from £75.75 to £77.07 and the lower rate from £28.70 to £29.20.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
ESA provides financial support for those unable to work due to illness or disability.
Households currently receiving income-related ESA are being encouraged to transition to Universal Credit by April 2026.
New claimants can not enrol on ESA and from 2026, households will no longer be able to renew their income-related ESA claims.
But, those still in receipt of the benefit will see they amount they receive increase in April 2025.
A single person with a severe disability will see their payments increase from £81.50 to £82.90 a week.
A couple on the lower rate will see their payments increase from £81.50 to £82.90, while a couple on the higher rate will see payments rise from £163 to £165.80.
The rate for a carer will increase from £45.60 to £46.40.
Currently claimants in the ESA work-related activity group can receive up to £90.50 a week, while those in the support group can receive up to £138.20 a week. From April, this will rise to £92.04 or £140.55 accordingly.
Carer's Allowance
Carers Allowance is a weekly payment made to people looking after a severely disabled child or adult.
To be eligible, carers must provide support for more than 35 hours each week.
You do not have to be related to or live with the person you claim for, but they must receive one of these benefits.
- Personal independence payment
- Disability living allowance
- Attendance allowance
- Constant attendance allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an industrial injuries disablement benefit
- Constant attendance allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a war disablement pension
- Armed forces independence payment
In April, the payments will increase from £81.90 to £83.30.
At the same time, the amount people can earn before becoming ineligible for the carers allowance will also increase from £151 a week to £181.
The £30 uplift will be the largest increase in the threshold since the benefit was introduced in 1976.
Disability premiums
A disability premium is added to a number of benefits for those who qualify.
The benefits eligible for the premium include:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Housing Benefit
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There are currently three different premiums, each with a separate rate for couples and singles. You can get more than one premium at a time.
Each of these will increase by 1.7% next year, meaning that a couple getting all three premiums would see their annual payout increase from £13,174.20 to around £13,398.
| Disability premiums | 2024/25 weekly rates | 2025/26 weekly rates |
| Disability premium (single) | £42.50 | £43.22 |
| Disability premium (couple) | £60.60 | £61.63 |
| Severe disability premium (single) | £81.50 | £82.89 |
| Severe disability premium (couple) | £163 | £165.77 |
| Enhanced disability premium (single) | £20.85 | £21.20 |
| Enhanced disability premium (couple) | £29.75 | £30.26 |
What is PIP?
HOUSEHOLDS suffering from a long-term illness, disability or mental health condition can get extra help through personal independence payments (PIP).
The maximum you can receive from the Government benefit is £172.75 a week.
PIP is for those over 16 and under the state pension age, currently 66.
Crucially, you must also have a health condition or disability where you either have had difficulties with daily living or getting around - or both- for three months, and you expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months (unless you're terminally ill with less than 12 months to live).
You can also claim PIP if you're in or out of work and if you're already getting limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) payments if you claim Universal Credit.
PIP is made up of two parts and whether you get one or both of these depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You may get the mobility part of PIP if you need help going out or moving around. The weekly rate for this is either £26.90 or £71.
While on the daily living part of PIP, the weekly rate is either £68.10 or £101.75 - and you could get both elements, so up to £172.75 in total.
You can claim PIP at the same time as other benefits, except the armed forces independence payment.
Make a claim by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0800 917 2222.
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