12 June 2023 , 10:35
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A warning has been given to over six million people who are about to receive the £150 disability cost of living payment this month.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be giving out the cost of living payment between June 20 and July 4.
This year’s payment follows the £150 disability cost of living payment that was made to more than six million people last September.
The payments will again be made automatically which means nobody needs to apply for the extra support.
However, the DWP has recently updated its cost of living guidance which gives a warning to those who may get the money but are not actually eligible.
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The warning said: "If you receive a Disability Cost of Living Payment, but we later find that you were not eligible for it, you may have to pay it back”.
Data published in the "Fraud and Error in the benefits system" report estimated that £410million or around 4.9% of cost of living payments were overpaid during the 2022/23.
The total spent on cost of living payments last year was £8.4billion.
The report estimated that overpayments due to fraud account for around £310million or 3.7% and overpayments due to claimant and official error sat at around £100million - £60million for claimant arror and £40million for official.
Who will get the disability cost of living payment?
In order to get the £150 payment, you need to have been claiming one of the following benefits on April 1, 2023.
These include:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Scottish Disability Benefits (Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- War Pension Mobility Supplement
The payments will start to arrive in the bank accounts of those eligible from June 20 until July 4.
Some payments may be made after July 4 if you are currently waiting for a benefit claim to be approved.
The money will be paid into the bank account where you receive your qualifying benefit but it will be a separate payment - the payment will be labelled "DWP COL".
This will be then followed by your National Insurance number - this is the same code as the £900 cost of living payment.
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If you receive a payment which you were not expecting - or are concerned you have been accidentally paid then you will need to contact the DWP.