Sense welcomes boost to Minimum Income Guarantee and major investment in home adaptations

17 February 2026 – Sense, a charity that supports disabled people with complex needs, has welcomed today’s announcement from the UK Government confirming a 7 per cent increase to the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) for working-age disabled adults receiving social care, alongside £723 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant.

From April, more than 150,000 disabled adults will be able to keep at least £400 more each year, with those eligible for the disability premium keeping up to £510 more. The uplift represents the largest above-inflation increase to the MIG in over a decade.

Sense said the increase will make a tangible difference to disabled people facing rising living costs and ongoing financial pressure.

Kate Lawson, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research at the national disability charity Sense, said:

“This is a welcome and long-overdue step that will put more money back into disabled people’s pockets at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet.

“Many disabled people with complex needs experience barriers that increase their everyday costs. Because of this they often face impossible choices between paying for care and covering everyday essentials. Increasing the Minimum Income Guarantee provides vital reassurance that support with care should not come at the expense of basic living costs.

“It is also positive news for local areas. Clearer national guidance and a meaningful uplift to the Minimum Income Guarantee gives local authorities and people who draw on care greater certainty and consistency about what people are entitled to keep. That clarity really matters when councils are under pressure and families are trying to plan their finances.”

Sense also strongly welcomed the £723 million investment in the Disabled Facilities Grant, which supports older and disabled people to adapt their homes.

Kate Lawson added:

“Home adaptations are not a luxury- they are life-changing. From accessible bathrooms to ramps, bed hoists and lifts, these changes mean disabled people can live safely and independently in the place they most want to be: their own home.

“Having the right adaptations in place enables people to live the lives they choose, maintain relationships, stay connected to their communities and avoid unnecessary hospital stays. Investing in home adaptations is one of the most practical and cost-effective ways to support independence while easing pressure on the NHS and social care services.

“We will continue to push for longer-term reform so that disabled people can access high-quality care and support with dignity, choice and control.”

ENDS