Living with someone and Severe Disability Premium
This information applies to England and Wales.
There are rules about who you can live with and still be eligible for Severe Disability Premium. They must meet 1 of the eligibility criteria.
This includes parents and partners. You cannot claim Severe Disability Premium if a person supporting you is receiving either:
- Carer’s Allowance
- the carer element of Universal Credit
You are not eligible for Severe Disability Premium if you receive Universal Credit.
Changing who you live may mean you have to start claiming Universal Credit and stop receiving Severe Disability Premium. You would usually be worse off claiming Universal Credit.
Before you start or stop living with someone
Check if you would still be eligible
If you want to start living with someone, check that they meet the eligibility criteria for who you can live with.
Changing who you live with could be a change in circumstances, even if they meet the eligibility criteria. This would move you to Universal Credit, and you would stop being eligible for Severe Disability Premium.
Find out if you would move to Universal Credit
The Department for Work and Pensions may decide it’s a ‘change in circumstances’ if:
- you move in or out
- someone else moves in or out
It could still be a change in circumstances if the people you live with meet the eligibility criteria.
A change in circumstances could mean that you move to Universal Credit. You would stop being eligible for Severe Disability Premium. Most people are worse off receiving Universal Credit.
It’s usually a change in circumstances when you move to a different local authority. The other rules can be complicated. Most of them depend on:
- the benefits you receive
- your income
- how much you work
These rules also apply to your partner if you live with them.
Contact the Scope helpline for advice.
Get advice if you need it
The rules can be complicated if you:
- jointly own your home
- live with a close relative or someone else who is jointly responsible for paying the rent or mortgage
- receive housing benefit
Warning Carer’s Allowance or carer element of Universal Credit
You cannot claim Severe Disability Premium if a person supporting you is receiving either:
- Carer’s Allowance
- the carer element of Universal Credit
This rule is the same if they live with you or if they have their own home.
Who you can live with
You can live with someone and still receive Severe Disability premium. But everyone you live with must meet 1 of the criteria for:
- age
- a landlord or tenant
- benefits
- sight impairment
- live-in carers
- supported living
Every person you live with must each meet 1 of these criteria. This still applies to:
- your parents
- your children if they are over 18
Age
You are still eligible if they are:
- under 18
- 18 to 19, part of your family and are a qualifying young person
A tenant or landlord
You are still eligible if they are either a:
- commercial tenant or lodger
- landlord who is not a relative
Contact the Scope helpline for advice if you:
- live with someone and you jointly own your home
- are jointly responsible for paying the rent or mortgage
Benefits
You are still eligible if they are receiving 1 of these benefits:
- PIP daily living component
- DLA care component at the middle or highest rate
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance paid with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Pension
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
You are not eligible if the person supporting you is claiming either:
- Carer’s Allowance
- the carer element of Universal Credit
This rule about Carer’s Allowance and the carer element of Universal Credit still applies if they do not live with you.
Sight impairment
You are still eligible if they are either:
- certified severely sight impaired
- certified blind
Live-in carers
You can still be eligible if you have a live-in carer if any of the following applies to them:
- they are employed by a charitable or voluntary body
- you pay a wage for the service
Supported living
You may still be eligible for Severe Disability Premium if you are in supported living. You need to have your own tenancy agreement, not joint with other residents.
Other disability premiums
There are 2 other disability premiums with different eligibility criteria. If you are not eligible for Severe Disability Premium, you might still be eligible for:
Universal Credit
You cannot receive Severe Disability Premium and Universal Credit at the same time.
If you are already receiving Severe Disability Premium, you may be eligible for transitional payments if you move to Universal Credit.
Transitional payments can help, but they will reduce slowly as your Universal Credit increases. Your income will usually be lower if you move to Universal Credit.
If you move to Universal Credit after a change in circumstances, you would need to make a new claim. It does not happen automatically.
Universal Credit: How to claim (GOV.UK)
When you start receiving Universal Credit, you may be eligible for transitional payments. These could help in the short term.
Last reviewed by Scope on: 14/08/2023
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