Welfare Supplementary Payment (Northern Ireland)

Welfare Supplementary Payment 

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for a Welfare Supplementary Payment if you are affected by the benefit cap and you:

• Live in Northern Ireland
• Are responsible for a child or qualifying young person who lives with you

You might also be eligible for Welfare Supplementary Payments if you lost out under the following welfare changes:

• Employment and Support Allowance
• Loss of disability premiums/elements
• Carers 
• Changes to Housing Benefit

If you are affected by the benefit cap and you are not eligible for a Welfare Supplementary Payment, read our Benefit Cap guide to check your options.

What can I get?

When you are affected by the Benefit Cap, your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is reduced. A Welfare Supplementary Payment covers the reduction so that you receive your full entitlement.

If you are entitled to a Welfare Supplementary Payment, you will receive it until any of your benefit claims stop.

Welfare Supplementary Payment if you're affected by the bedroom tax

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for a Welfare Supplementary Payment if you live in Northern Ireland and are affected by the bedroom tax. This will only apply if you live in Housing Executive or housing association property.

What can I get?

You will get a payment to cover the amount that is being deducted from your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit because of the bedroom tax

Welfare Supplementary Payment if you're affected by the replacement of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) by Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for a Welfare Supplementary Payment if you live in Northern Ireland and

• were getting DLA as an adult claimant
• on transfer to PIP
  • were refused and appealed; or
  • were awarded PIP at a lower amount than you used to receive DLA; or
  • were refused PIP, but awarded at least four points on either the daily living or the mobility component, and suffer physical or psychological problems as a result of a violent incident in connection with the affairs of Northern Ireland

You may also be eligible for a Welfare Supplementary Payment if you were getting Carer's Allowance for caring for someone who, on transfer from DLA to PIP, was not awarded PIP.

What can I get?

If you are receiving a payment while you appeal a PIP refusal, you will receive 100% of your previous DLA award while you wait for the appeal decision.

If you are receiving a payment because your PIP is lower than your DLA was, you should receive 75% of the difference for one year.

If you are receiving a payment because you suffered injury in connection with the affairs or Northern Ireland, you should receive an amount equivalent to the standard rate of the daily living component of PIP, if you received four points on the daily living component activities. Or if you did not receive four points on the daily living component activities but did receive four points on the mobility component activities, an amount equivalent to the standard rate of the mobility component on PIP. You should receive payment for one year.

How do I apply?

You don’t need to apply for a Welfare Supplementary Payment. You can find out more about Welfare Supplementary Payments on the NI Direct website or phone the Welfare Supplementary Payments Team:

Telephone: 0800 587 0971

Textphone: 0800 587 0973

Video relay service for users of Irish Sign Language (ISL) and British Sign Language (BSL)

If you have any problems with Welfare Supplementary Payments, you should seek advice. You can use our Find an Advisor tool to find a benefits adviser near to you.