People on PIP, DLA, ADP and Attendance Allowance could be due extra £326 a month

People receiving disability benefits may be in line for an additional £326 a month in certain circumstances. This would consist of an extra £81.50 a week if you are also receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment or Scotland's Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

Those benefits pay a maximum of £737 every four weeks so the severe disability top-up would take this to £1,063 to cover the extra costs of living with long-term mental and physical health conditions. In order to get the top-up, someone would need to be on Pension Credit, an income boost for people who are over State Pension age and on a low income.

Around 1.4 million people are already receiving Pension Credit, and another 880,000 are thought to be eligible but not claiming. The DWP is trying to increase the take-up of Pension Credit as it restores access to the newly restricted Winter Fuel Payment.

READ MORE:

• Councils set up their own Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners after cuts
• DWP to give higher payment rises to millions of people on these 5 pensions and benefits

DWP guidance says Pension Credit tops up weekly income to £218.15 if you're single or a joint amount of £332.95 if you have a partner. Extra amounts are then available for those who have disabilities, caring responsibilities or are looking after children.

You could get an extra £81.50 a week with your Pension Credit (which would be an additional £326 when the cash goes into your account every four weeks) if you receive any of the following:

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component at the middle or highest rate
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Adult Disability Payment (ADP) daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate

An extra £45.60 is on offer if you get Carer's Allowance or Carer's Support Payment or have claimed Carer's Allowance but are not being paid because you already get another benefit paying a higher amount.

If you're responsible for children or young people, you could get an extra £66.29 a week for each one. This is increased to £76.79 a week for the first child if they were born before April 6, 2017. The child or young person must normally live with you and be under the age of 20.

If they are 16 or over and under 20, they must be in (or accepted for) approved training, such as Foundation Apprenticeship, or a course of non-advanced education (such as GCSEs or A-Levels). If they're in education, it must be for more than 12 hours a week on average.

If the child or young person is disabled, you could also get an extra amount of either £35.93 a week if they get DLA, PIP, or ADP; or £112.21 a week if they are blind or get the highest-rate care component of DLA or CDP or the enhanced daily living component of PIP or ADP.

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community for the latest updates. You can find out more in our Money Saving Newsletter, which is sent out daily with all the updates you need to know on pensions, PIP, Universal Credit, benefits, finances, bills, and shopping discounts.