Proposed new State Pension and benefits payments
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has shared the proposed new State Pension and benefits payment rates to come into effect in Lanarkshire from April 8.
State Pensions will rise by 8.5 per cent, as per the triple lock policy, while most benefits will increase by the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figure of 6.7 per cent.
The proposed rates will be formally confirmed in Parliament in due course, but the figures published very rarely change unless a calculation error has been made.
This means people in Lanarkshire on the State Pension and benefits including Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Carer’s Allowance and Attendance Allowance can start to factor in the increased amount into their household budgets from April.
The DWP has stated It’s important to note that while the Pension Credit income threshold will increase in April, the Benefit Cap won’t rise.
A full list of the increases, along with the benefits caps, earnings thresholds and housing benefits allowances, can be found via GOV. UK
The Attendance Allowance higher rate will be £108.55 (from £101.75) with the lower rate at £72.65 (from £68.10).
Carer’s Allowance as of April will see a rate of £81.90 (from £76.75) and an earnings threshold of £151 (from £139).
In terms of Incapacity Benefit, the long-term Incapacity Benefit will be £138.90 (from £130.20), while the lower rate will sit at £104.85 (from £98.25) and the higher rate at £124 (from £116.20).
Maternity Allowance will see a standard rate of £184.03 (from £172.48).
And Severe Disablement Allowance will have a basic rate of £98.40 (from £92.20), a higher rate of £14.70 (from £13.80), a middle rate of ££8.15 (from £7.65) and a lower rate of £8.15 (from £7.65).