Factsheet F66

Premiums for Disabled People

If you are disabled and receive Income Support, you may qualify for a premium on top of the basic personal allowance.

The Disability Premium

If you are aged under 60, you may be able to get this premium if any of the following applies:

• you receive Disability Living Allowance
• you receive Incapacity Benefit - long term rate
• you receive Severe Disablement Allowance
• you are provided with an invalid vehicle
• you receive payments through the invalid vehicle scheme, or war pensioners vehicle scheme
• the mobility component of your Disability Living Allowance is being paid directly to Motability Operations
• you are registered blind
• your partner is receiving any of the above
• your partner is receiving Attendance Allowance

You may also get the disability premium if you are accepted as being incapable of employment (or are receiving Statutory Sick Pay) for at least 364 days (196 days if terminally ill). Periods of incapacity separated by 56 days or less can be linked together when calculating the qualifying period.

The Severe Disability Premium

Single rate

If you are single, you may get the lower rate premium if you live alone, no one gets Carer's Allowance for looking after you and you get the middle or highest care component of Disability Living Allowance.

Couples (higher rate)

If you have a partner, you may get the higher rate premium if no one else lives with you, no one gets Carer's Allowance for looking after you and either:

• you both get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance; or
• you get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and your partner gets Attendance Allowance

Couples (lower rate)

If you have a partner, you may get the lower rate premium if no one else lives with you and either:

• you both get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, and Carer's Allowance is paid for only one of you; or
• you get the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and your partner gets Attendance Allowance, and Carer's Allowance is paid for only one of you; or
• you get the middle or highest rate of Disability Living Allowance care component and your partner is registered blind, and no one gets Carer's Allowance for looking after you

The Severe Disability Premium can be awarded in addition to other premiums.

The Enhanced Disability Premium

Single rate

If you are single and aged under 60, you may be able to get this premium if either:

• you get the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance; or
• you have a dependent child or children who get(s) the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance

Couple rate

If you have a partner, you may get the couple rate premium if you or your partner get the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance.

The Enhanced Disability Premium can be awarded in addition to other premiums.

Useful contacts

• Financial support contacts

Updated 25 April 2011