Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure people with (a) Parkinson's disease and (b) similar conditions do not suffer financial hardship due to increases in energy and living costs.

The Government understands the pressures people, including those with Parkinson’s Disease and similar conditions, are facing with the cost of living. People living with Parkinson’s disease may be entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is a contribution towards the extra costs associated with being disabled. PIP is paid tax free and can be worth up to £8,983 a year. Recipients are free to choose how they spend PIP, and there is no requirement for them to use it for any particular purpose. Entitlement to PIP depends on the effects that a disability or health condition has on a disabled person’s life, and not on a particular disability or diagnosis.

PIP can passport to a range of additional support, including:

• Disability additions paid within income related benefits;
• Carer’s Allowance for an informal carer;
• The Motability vehicle scheme; and
• The Blue Badge scheme.

PIP also exempts the eligible household from the Benefit Cap.

In April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the Benefit Cap levels also increased by the same amount.

In addition, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments. This will be split into three payments across the 2023/24 financial year, with the first payment of £301 having recently been made. A separate £150 payment will be made to individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits, including PIP, from 20 June. Further to this, the Energy Price Guarantee will be extended from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, meaning a typical household bill will be around £3,000 per year in Great Britain.

The Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year long extension allows local authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need with the significantly rising cost of living. The guidance for local authorities for this next iteration has now been published and can be found here: '1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024: Household Support Fund guidance for county councils and unitary authorities in England' - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The devolved administrations will receive consequential funding as usual to spend at their discretion.