Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a tax-free, non-means tested benefit for people over the age of 16 who have a physical or mental disability and need help taking part in everyday life, or have difficulty getting around outside the home.
PIP replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged 16 or over in 2013 and anyone still receiving this benefit will eventually be asked to make a claim for PIP instead .
It’s worth pointing out that if your level of care or mobility needs change and you currently receive DLA, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will invite you to apply for PIP.
However, if you reached the age of 65 by April 8, 2013, you can keep and renew your DLA award and won't be asked to claim PIP.
If a PIP award ends after you reach State Pension age, which is now 66 for men and women across the UK, you can re-claim the benefit within one year of your previous award ending - as long as your new claim relates to substantially the same physical or mental conditions or a new condition which developed as a result of the one for which the previous award was made.
You do not have to meet the three-month qualifying period condition to claim, but if you leave it longer than a year or your claim relates to a different condition, you need to claim Attendance Allowance instead.
If you are receiving PIP payments before you reach State Pension age, they will continue to be paid on top of your pension.
PIP is made up of two parts - a daily living and mobility component.
In the case of the mobility component, there is an additional restriction - you can only receive an award of the enhanced rate in the new claim if you were receiving that rate in the previous award, even if your mobility needs have increased.
Who is eligible for PIP?
You do not need to have worked or paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for PIP, and it does not matter what your income is, if you have any savings or if you’re working.
You must have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for three months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
If you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP:
preparing, cooking or eating food
managing your medication
washing, bathing or using the toilet
dressing and undressing
engaging and communicating with other people
reading and understanding written information
making decisions about money
planning a journey or following a route
moving around outside the home
What are the current PIP payment rates?
PIP is made up of two components - daily living and mobility. Whether you are awarded one or both, or a combination of the two, depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You will receive the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances until the start of April:
Daily living
- Standard rate - £60.00
- Enhanced rate - £89.60
Mobility
- Standard rate - £23.70
- Enhanced rate - £62.55
How do you make a claim for PIP?
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you’ll find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.
Before you call, you will need:
your contact details
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
Once you've contacted the DWP, they will send you a document called 'How Your Disability Affects You' to complete which consists of 14 questions and a section for any additional information.
The questions focus on how your condition affects you - put as much relevant detail in as you can to help the assessor understand your physical and mental health needs.
If you have difficulty filling in your form or understanding the questions, contact your local council and ask for help or Citizens Advice Scotland.
We have a breakdown of all 14 questions here and you can take an anonymous self-test online at Benefits and Work to see how many points you would be awarded for each response.
What if I cannot get PIP or have reached State Pension age?
If you cannot get PIP, you may be able to apply for Attendance Allowance instead which could give you either £59.70 or £89.15 a week depending on the level of care you need - that works out at £238.80 and £356.60 a month respectively.
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a physical or mental disability or illness severe enough that makes it hard for you to look after yourself, but it does not cover mobility needs.
You don’t need to have someone caring for you in order to claim - find out more about Attendance Allowance here.
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