Severe Disability Premium - Can I get a Severe Disability Premium?

To get a Severe Disability Premium (SDP), you have to be getting an income-related benefit. This could be: 

• Income Support

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

• Guarantee Pension Credit

• Housing Benefit.

You also must be getting one of these benefits:

• Attendance Allowance (or Constant Attendance Allowance paid with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Pension)

• Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland)

• Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate

• Personal Independence Payment daily living component

• Adult Disability Payment (Scotland) daily living component

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

If you are single:

• No one must be getting Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or Carer’s Element of Universal Credit for looking after you, and
• You must be the only adult in the household. If you live with a flatmate who you split bills with, you will probably be treated as the only adult in the household.
• If you live with another adult who is not your partner, you might still be entitled to a Severe Disability Premium. This can be complicated and you should use our tool to find an adviser in your area.

If you are a couple:

• Both you and your partner must each be getting one of these benefits:
  • Attendance Allowance (or Constant Attendance Allowance paid with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Pension)
  • Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland)
  • Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate
  • Personal Independence Payment daily living component
  • Adult Disability Payment (Scotland) daily living component
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment

• No one must be getting Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or Carer’s Element of Universal Credit for looking after you.

• If someone gets Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or Carer’s Element of Universal Credit for looking after just one of you, you can still get Severe Disability Premium at the single rate.

• You must be the only adults in the household

• Sometimes you can get Severe Disability Premium even if there are other adults in the household. This can be complicated and you should use our tool to find an adviser

Qualifying for a Severe Disability Premium in other situations

If you are part of a couple and your partner is registered blind, you can still qualify for SDP paid at the single rate even if your partner does not get a qualifying benefit.

Severe Disability Premium and carers

It is important to talk to the person who cares for you about whether they get Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or the Carer’s Element in Universal Credit. 

If the person who cares for you is thinking of claiming Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or the Carer's Element in Universal Credit, you should get advice. If your carer is paid Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland) or Carer’s Element of Universal Credit, it will stop you from getting a Severe Disability Premium. Your Council Tax Support can also be affected.

You can use our Find an Adviser tool to find local advice.