Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit designed to help people over the age of 16 and under State Pension age with the extra daily costs of living with a long-term illness, physical or mental health condition or a disability.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could award you between £24.45 and £156.90 per week to help with the additional costs of daily living and outdoor mobility needs.
The benefit will be replaced by the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland for new and existing claimants over the coming months, but will continue to follow similar eligibility rules and award the same payment rates.
If you are awarded PIP or ADP you may also be able to claim extra money on top of your existing benefits, Council Tax reductions and discounts on travel. The DWP guidance states: "Entitlement to PIP provides a gateway or passport to other benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance, and schemes sponsored by other departments, such as the Blue Badge scheme."
You will need your PIP award letter before you can apply for any extra help, this is often referred to as a 'PIP award notice', and is sent to you when the DWP has made a decision about your claim. If you're a new claimant in Scotland, you will receive this from Social Security Scotland.
Adult Disability Payment rollout dates
- Now open to new claimants - Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles
- June 20 - Angus, North Lanarkshire or South Lanarkshire
- July 25 - Fife, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire or South Ayrshire
- August 29 - if you live elsewhere in Scotland
You do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment if you already get PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults from the DWP.
Social Security Scotland will start to move your benefit to Adult Disability Payment without you having to do anything from August 29.
Find out more about how your benefit is moving to Social Security Scotland here.
Below is a brief overview of the additional benefits, reductions and discounts PIP claimants may also be able to claim. Full details are available on GOV.UK here.
Benefit top-ups
You may get a top-up, called a premium, on the following benefits if you are already receiving them and get PIP:
Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)- only if you get the PIP daily living component
Pension Credit - only if you get the PIP daily living component
How to apply
Contact the office in charge of your benefits, tell them you’re getting PIP and ask them what other help this entitles you to.
You may need to send them a copy of your PIP award letter - they should also be able to tell you how much extra you will get.
Getting a disability premium will not reduce your PIP or any of your other benefits, so it is always best to ask the DWP what extras you are entitled to and apply for them.
Council Tax discount
If you receive either the daily living or mobility component of PIP, you may be able to get money off your Council Tax bill.
It’s hard to say exactly how much of a discount you’ll get because it depends on things like the component and rate of PIP you’re getting - your local council will be able to tell you.
How to apply
To get your Council Tax discount, contact your local council and tell them you’re getting PIP. You usually need to complete a form which is authorised by your GP and you may need to send your local council a copy of your PIP award letter.
If you claim PIP for a child
If your child is getting PIP, is aged between 16 and 20 and is still in education or training, your Housing Benefit may increase.
You may also get money off your Council Tax bill.
Your local council will be able to tell you if you do. Find your local council here.
How to apply
To check if you can get this help, contact the office in charge of your Housing Benefit and your local council and tell them your child is getting PIP.
They will also be able to tell you how much the increase or discount will be.
Travel support
When you get your PIP award letter, you can apply for several methods of travel assistance.
National Entitlement Card (NEC)
The NEC makes it convenient for people to access various public services and facilities with only one card. It can be used for free travel on most bus routes across Scotland and discounted trips by rail, underground and ferry.
It is also used by many local councils as library and leisure membership cards - find out more about the NEC here.
Disabled Person’s Railcard (£20 for one-year membership)
This offers up to a third off most rail fares across the UK. Find out more here.
Blue Badge (£20 for three-years in Scotland)
A Blue Badge holder travelling either as a driver or passenger can park for free in disabled parking bays and may be exempt from other parking restrictions.
Find out more about eligibility here and on the mygov.scot website here.
Vehicle Tax Exemption
If you get the standard PIP mobility rate, you are also eligible for a vehicle tax discount of 50% - the vehicle must be registered in your name or that of your designated driver.
If you get the enhanced PIP mobility rate, you are eligible for a vehicle tax discount of 100%.
Find out more on the gov.uk website here.
Motability Scheme
You may also be able to use the Motability Scheme if you get the enhanced PIP mobility rate.
The Motability Scheme enables people to get mobile by exchanging their mobility allowance to lease a new car, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair - find out more here.
Check you are claiming all the benefits you’re entitled to
It is always a good idea to check you’re claiming all the benefits you’re entitled to.
These calculators are free to use, anonymous, and have replaced the Benefits Adviser service.
Online benefits calculators
This new online tool is the first to fully integrate devolved benefits, including the new £20 weekly paid Scottish Child Payment.
It provides a free and impartial assessment of entitlement to a range of benefits such as Universal Credit, crisis grants and support payments.
Turn2us - for information on PIP, income-related benefits, tax credits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and how your benefits will be affected if you start work or change your working hours.
Policy in Practice - for information on PIP, income-related benefits, tax credits, contribution-based benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit, how these are calculated and how your benefits will be affected if you start work or change your working hours.
entitledto - for information on PIP, income-related benefits, tax credits, contribution-based benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit and how your benefits will be affected if you start work.
What you will need
You’ll need accurate information about your:
Savings
Income, including your partner’s
Existing benefits and pensions (including anyone living with you)
Outgoings (such as rent, mortgage, childcare payments)
Council Tax bill
Who cannot use them
You cannot use the calculators if you’re under 18, and they will not give accurate results if you’re:
a prisoner
a student
not a British or Irish citizen
on strike
living outside the UK
living permanently in residential care or a nursing home
For more information about PIP, visit the GOV.UK website here.
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