Personal independence Payment
What is the Personal Independence payment? What are the rates and who is eligible?
Do you have a disability or long-term health condition? If, so Personal Independence Payments (PIP) can provide you additional financial support.
Why not try our PIP Checker Tool to see if you could qualify:
PIP Eligibility Checker
Answer the questions below to see if you might qualify for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The following information is sourced from homecare.co.uk:
What is PIP?
The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for for those of us who are aged between 16 and State Pension age. You must have a long-term care need, struggle with mobility, have an illness or disability.
PIP is gradually replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Even if you have an indefinite award for DLA, you will have to make a new claim for PIP.
PIP is tax-free and not means tested. So you can claim it if you work, have savings or investments.
Who is eligible?
People over the age of 16 but not reached State Pension Age.
You cannot claim Armed Forces Independence Payment and PIP at the same time.
You must have either a mental or physical disability or health condition that makes daily living or mobility difficult for you, and the following is true:
- You have struggled with daily living and getting around for at least three months
- You expect these difficulties to last for at least another 9 months
Exceptions are made if you are terminally ill:
You can claim PIP if you have a progressive disease and are not expected to live longer than 12 months. This is known as Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). Your application will be fast tracked and you’ll likely receive the highest level of the benefit, but this will still be assessed based on your individual circumstances.
However, you must still be over the age of 16 and have generally not reached State Pension Age.
There are two components of PIP:
- Daily Living component – if you need help with everyday tasks, such as eating and drinking, washing and getting dressed
- Mobility component – if you need help getting out and about because of physical, sensory, mental or learning difficulties
How much money will I get with PIP (2024/25)?
The amount you receive depends on which component(s) and rates you qualify for.
The two component parts are separated into 2 rates, a higher and lower rate.
Daily Living component:
- Lower rate: £72.65
- Higher rate: £108.55
Mobility component:
- Lower rate: £28.70
- Higher rate: £75.75
What does ‘Daily Living needs’ mean?
If you have Daily Living needs, it means that you need help with day-to-day tasks and to look after yourself, such as:
- Eating and drinking
- Washing and bathing
- Taking medication and managing treatments
- Going to the toilet and/or manage continence
- Dressing and undressing
- Communicating with others
- Reading and understanding information
- Socialising
- Handling money
What does ‘Mobility Needs’ mean?
If you have Mobility Needs, it means that you struggle to get out and about on your own, including:
- You need help to plan and follow a journey
- You need help to move around
The above could be due to a physical disability, a mental health issue, a sensory impairment or a learning difficulty.
The help you need for both Daily Living and Mobility needs could be walking aids, such as a walking stick or a guide dog. It could also be a person who do things for you or with you, takes you to places and/or goes along with you to keep you safe.
What if I have already reached State Pension Age?
To receive PIP after you have reached State Pension Age, you must either:
- Have been receiving PIP before you reached State Pension Age and your condition is unchanged
- Have been claiming DLA and received a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) inviting you to apply
How to claim PIP
After applying for PIP, it can take up to four months to receive any money. PIP cannot be backdated but your payments start from the date you made your claim to cover the handling time at the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
To make a claim for Personal Independence Payment, start by calling the DWP.
Before you call, make sure you have the following information at hand:
- Your full name and contact details, including your address
- Your nationality/immigration status
- National Insurance number
- Bank or building society account details
- Your GP’s and/or other health professionals’ contact details
- Information about your stays in hospital or residential care
- If you have been overseas for more than four consecutive weeks at a time in the last three years, including dates and details
When you have all the relevant information, call the number applicable to you:
England, Scotland or Wales: 0800 917 2222 (textphone 0800 917 7777). You can also start your application by post by writing to:
Personal Independence Payment New Claims
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1AH
Northern Ireland: 0800 012 1573 (textphone 0800 012 1574). You can also start your application by post by writing to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Centre:
Castle Court
Royal Avenue
Belfast
BT1 1HR
A DWP adviser will ask you questions about how your condition affects you to determine whether you meet the basic eligibility conditions. The DWP will then send you a PIP claim form for you to complete.
Please be aware that making a claim by post takes longer than by phone.
Fill in the PIP claim form you receive from the DWP
If the DWP thinks you may qualify for the benefit, they will send you a PIP claim form by post, known as PIP2: How your disability affects you.
It is important to fill out the form as carefully and detailed as possible to ensure you receive the right support. For additional evidence, you can include various documents to support your claim, such as:
- Medical records
- Letters from health professionals
- A diary of daily routines
- Letters from friends and family
You must send the form back within one month, however you can call the DWP to ask for more time. It may be beneficial to ask someone for help.
Complete the face-to-face assessment
You will receive a confirmation letter to let you know the DWP has received your claim form. You will then either be called to a medical assessment or the DWP will consult with your healthcare professional.
The assessment is carried out by an independent health professional to work out your Daily Living and Mobility Needs. Citizens Advice has guidance on how to prepare for the PIP assessment.
Following the assessment, you will get a letter with the decision. If you qualify, the letter will outline the components you get and at which rate. If you disagree with the decision, you have one month to challenge it.
If you are terminally ill
If you are terminally ill the process is quicker, and a face-to-face assessment is not needed. After you have called the DWP and started your claim, ask your healthcare professional to fill in form DS15000. They can send it directly to the DWP or hand it to you.
Moving from Disability Living Allowance to PIP
Personal Independence Payment is replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Those who reached the age of 65 on 8 April 2013 will keep getting DLA. For others, the move does not happen automatically. Your DLA payments will stop and the DWP will send you a latter to invite you to make a claim for PIP. By the end of October 2023, 1.8 million people in England and Wales had DLA reassessment claims to PIP accepted.
If you live in Northern Ireland, you will receive a letter from the Social Security Agency.
Because the two benefits have different qualifying criteria, you may receive a higher or lower rate. In some cases, people may lose their entitlement, but this is only in rare circumstances.
The replacement of DLA has so far proven to be beneficial for eligible people. Recent statistics shared by the DWP show that between 2018 and 2023, 33% of working age people claiming PIP have been awarded the highest rate, compared to only 15% of the same people receiving the highest rate of DLA.
To find out more about Caremark and how we can help you, talk to us today.