Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits for people with complex disabilities of an exceptional uprating of benefits in line with the current inflation rate.

The Secretary of State undertakes an annual review of benefits and pensions. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) is the main measure of UK inflation. CPI in the year to September (published by the Office for National Statistics in October) is the latest figure that the Secretary of State can use to allow sufficient time for the required legislative and operational changes before new rates can be introduced at the start of the new financial year. From April 2022 benefits and pensions increased by 3.1%, in line with the CPI.

In addition, claimants will also get one-off support worth up to £1,200 this year including a new £650 cost of living payment for people on means-tested benefits and £150 for people on disability benefits to help them with their additional costs. These payments will be exempt from tax, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.