Five key things you need to know about PIP

If you have a disability or long-term health condition, chances are you may have heard of PIP.

Personal independence payment, or PIP, has been described as a “lifeline” for disabled people, with the benefit helping to cover the extra costs that come with having a disability or long-term illness. 

According to government figures, there were 3.7 million claimants entitled to PIP in England and Wales on 31 January 2025.

Read more:

• What is PIP and how do I claim it? Everything you need to know about the DWP disability benefit
• How to navigate DWP disability benefit applications and PIP assessments
• ‘I had to sell all my possessions just to feed myself’: More of your stories on DWP PIP rejections

This year, Labour announced plans to cut the disability benefit, which could have meant up to 1.3 million people entitled to PIP lost their eligibility due to the changes, but it U-turned on these plans.

PIP reforms will not be carried out until a government review of the assessment process, co-produced with disability organisations, is conducted.

PIP, which offers “help with extra living costs if you have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition”, can be challenging to apply for, so it’s important that you know the ins-and-outs of the benefit if you believe you are eligible for it.

Here are the five key things you need to know about PIP before you apply.

PIP is not means-tested

PIP is not a means-tested benefit, which means it doesn’t matter what you earn or how much you have in savings; your eligibility is based on how much your condition affects you. The payment is not awarded for the condition itself but is based on how much it affects your ability to do everyday tasks. 

You can apply for PIP whether you’re working, studying or unemployed. You also don’t need to have paid national insurance or worked to qualify for PIP. 

You will need to undertake an assessment

After you’ve submitted your application form for PIP, you’ll need to undertake an assessment, which will test how much your condition impacts your ability to complete day-to-day activities, like cooking and bathing. The assessment can be face-to-face, but many are done by phone or video call. If you need adjustments to attend your assessment, such as a sign language interpreter, make sure to tell the DWP as soon as you’re given your assessment date.

According to Disability Rights UK, you score points in the PIP assessment when you are not able to complete a task safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time (no more than twice as long as it would take most people). 

To be entitled to the standard rate of the daily living component, you need to score at least eight points under the 10 daily living activity headings, which include activities like going to the toilet, cooking, speaking, and handling money. To be entitled to the enhanced rate, you need to score at least 12 points.

You have a legal right to record the assessment which tests if you are eligible for PIP. Disability charity Scope advises you to ask the assessment provider to record your assessment or record it yourself, and this can be a helpful tool for if you need to challenge your decision later down the line. 

Turn2us has a comprehensive guide to the PIP assessment, which includes what to expect for every activity, how many points you can score, and what this means for your claim.

PIP can differ based on age and condition

The amount you receive in PIP, or your eligibility for the benefit, could differ based on your age or the severity of your condition.

PIP is divided into two parts, the daily living component, and the mobility component, with each of these divided into a “standard rate” and an “enhanced rate” based on how your condition affects you.

The current daily living standard rate is £73.90 per week, while the enhanced rate is £110.40. For mobility, the standard rate is £29.20 and the enhanced rate is £77.05. 

If you have a terminal illness, you will automatically get the enhanced rate of the daily living component, and the benefit will be paid every every week, compared to the standard every four weeks.

In terms of age, PIP is available for those aged 16 to state pension age. There are slightly different rules for when a person has reached state pension age; if you’re already getting PIP, it will continue after you’ve reached state pension age. However, most people can’t make a new PIP claim after this age, and instead disabled pensioners may have to apply for Attendance Allowance.

For young people, children may be entitled to Disability Living Allowance, and will have to apply for PIP once they turn 16 – this is not an automatic process, so you’ll have to apply for it.

PIP cuts have been shelved – but there could still be changes in the future

The Labour government introduced proposals in March 2025 to change who may be eligible to receive PIP, which could have meant 1.3 million people with disabilities and long-term conditions missing out on their benefits.

During a vote on 1 July, the proposed PIP cuts were shelved until the government can carry out a review of the assessment process, led by disability minister Stephen Timms alongside disabled people and the organisations which represent them.

MPs had already limited any reforms to new claimants, rather than existing ones. This means the future of PIP is uncertain, and the cuts may not go ahead at all.

The Timms Review will consider “the PIP assessment as a whole, to make sure it is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence”.

Research by Amnesty found that around 75% of the public thought that the government’s plans to cut PIP from disabled people were “cruel”.

Help is available for your application

Applying for PIP and undertaking the assessment can be tricky, but there are plenty of organisations and charities you can turn to if you need help with any stage of the application process.

If you’re having difficulties with your application, poverty charity Turn2us has a free online PIP helper that could provide support with your application, while Disability Rights UK also has an extensive guide to PIP applications.

Citizens Advice also has a host of valuable information about applying for PIP on its website, while your local Citizens Advice branch may be able to help you with your PIP application if you’re struggling with the form.

You might also be able to get help from a disability or mental health support agency; charities Scope and Mind have both signposted to disability and mental health support which may be able to help.

If you need to contact someone about PIP, its enquiry line is 0800 121 4433 for telephone and 0800 121 4493 for textphone. 

If you can’t hear or speak on the phone, you can use Relay UK to type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 121 4433. 

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