On this page you will find information about:
- Eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment.
- How to make a claim.
- Challenging a decision.
If you are living with a physical or mental health condition or disability, you may be entitled to financial support.
According to research carried out by charity Scope, people living with a disability on average need an additional £1,010
a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households.
Read ‘The disability price 2024: Living with the extra cost of disability’ policy report by SCOPE.
PIP is available to those living in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. If you are living in Scotland you can apply for Adult Disability Payment instead.
Learn more about Adult Disability Payment here on the RBL website.
Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people aged between 16 and state pension age with a long-term health condition or disability. It replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
Learn more about Personal Independence Payment on the GOV.UK website.
PIP helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill health or a disability such as adaptations, aids, travel and much more. What you'll get is not based on your condition, but on how your condition affects you. You'll need an assessment to
work out the level of help you get. Your award will be regularly reassessed to make sure you're getting the right support.
The benefit is made up of two parts which are known as daily living and mobility. You may qualify for one or both
parts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
What are the eligibility criteria to receive PIP?
You may be eligible for PIP if you:
- are over 16 years old and under state pension age (if you have never made a claim before)
- are living with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- experience difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around, and
- expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started.
Read more about PIP eligibility on GOV.UK.
Find out what is counted as State Pension age for you on the GOV.UK website.
Where do I need to live to be able to apply for PIP?
You can make a claim for PIP if you are a British citizen and:
- Live or have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least two of the last three years and are living in England, Scotland or Wales when you apply.
- Live in Northern Ireland and usually have lived in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey for two out of the last three years.
- Live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Lichtenstein (you can only receive help with daily living tasks).
- Are abroad but work in the Armed Forces, or are a family member of someone who does.
Read about applying for PIP if you live in Northern Ireland on the nidirect website.
If you are not a British citizen you must:
- normally live in or show that you intend to settle in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, and
- not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant).
If you live in Scotland you will need to apply for Adult Disability Payment Instead.
Serving members of HM Armed Forces and their families are treated as habitual residents in Great Britain when serving and stationed abroad.
You may be able to receive PIP if you are a refugee or have humanitarian protection status.
Learn more about PIP eligibility on the GOV.UK website.
Can I be eligible for PIP if I am overseas?
Yes, if you are overseas you may still be eligible for PIP if you either:
- Live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein - you can only get help with daily living tasks.
- Work in the Armed Forces, or are a family member of someone who does.
Find out more about the eligibility criteria for PIP on GOV.UK.
I am over state pension age, can I make a claim for PIP?
You are not eligible to make a claim for PIP if you are over state pension age and have never received PIP before.
Those who are over state pension age but have received PIP are eligible to make a new claim.
If you are over state
pension age and have never applied for PIP before, you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead.
- Learn about what is considered as State Pension age on the GOV.UK website.
- Find out more about Attendance Allowance and how to apply on GOV.UK.
Will receiving benefits or other income affect my ability to claim PIP?
You can be eligible for PIP if you are working or have savings. PIP can be claimed at the same time as all other benefits, except Armed Forces Independence Payment.
Find out more about Armed Forces Independence Payment on the GOV.UK website.
However, there are some benefits which may restrict the amount of PIP that you could get.
- If you are receiving Constant Attendance Allowance you’ll get less of the daily living part of PIP.
- If you receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement you will not get the mobility part of PIP.
You may receive a top-up, known as a disability premium, if you receive:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), or
- Housing Benefits
Find out more about Disability Premium on GOV.UK.
You may also receive the disability elements of Working Tax Credit if you are eligible.
Read about Working Tax Credit on the GOV.UK website.
What makes someone eligible for the ‘Daily Living’ part of PIP?
You may be able to receive the Daily Living part of PIP if you need help with:
- preparing food
- taking nutrition
- managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
- washing and bathing
- managing toilet needs or incontinence
- dressing and undressing
- communicating verbally
- reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
- engaging with other people face to face, and/or
- making budgeting decisions.
What makes someone eligible for the ‘Mobility’ part of PIP’?
You do not need a physical disability to receive the Mobility part of PIP.
You may be eligible if you have a cognitive or mental health condition, like anxiety.
You may be able to receive the Mobility part of PIP
if you need help with:
- planning and following journeys, and/or
- moving around.
I am currently receiving Disability Living Allowance, what will happen to my support?
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is ending for people aged 16 to state pension age. You can keep receiving DLA if you are under 16 or you were born on or before 8th April, 1948 and have an existing claim. You’ll continue receiving DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions tells you to apply for PIP.
Read more about Disability Living Allowance on the RBL Knowledge Base website.
Payments
Will the amount of PIP that I could receive be affected by my income or savings?
No, PIP is not affected by income or savings. You can work whilst receiving PIP.
How will my abilities to do tasks affect what I could receive?
The amount that you could receive is dependent on your abilities and how the long-term physical or mental health condition or disability affects them.
PIP awards are based on how difficult you find:
- everyday activities, which are known as ‘daily living’ tasks, and
- getting around, known as ‘mobility’ tasks
How much could I receive from PIP?
The rates of PIP listed below are taken from GOV.UK.
|
|
Lower weekly rate |
Higher weekly rate |
|
Daily living part |
£72.65 |
£108.55 |
|
Mobility part |
£28.70 |
£75.75 |
Find out more about PIP payment rates on GOV.UK.
Will I need to pay tax on my PIP payments?
No, PIP is tax-free.
How often are payments made?
PIP payments are usually paid every 4 weeks.
When you receive your decision letter it will tell you important information about your payments including:
- the date of the first payment
- which day of the week you will usually be paid
- how long you will be receiving PIP for, and
- when and if your claim will be reviewed.
When will I receive my payment if the payment date is listed as a bank holiday?
If you are due to be paid on a day listed as a bank holiday you will usually receive your PIP payment before that date.
After the bank holiday, you will continue to receive payments as normal.
How will I receive PIP payments?
PIP payments are paid into an individual's bank, building society or credit union account.
What should I do if there is a change in my personal circumstances, or how my condition affects me?
You should contact the PIP enquiry line if you have a change in circumstances such as:
- your personal details change, for example your name, address or doctor
- the help you need or your condition changes
- your condition has worsened and you’re not expected to live more than 12 months
- you go into hospital or a care home
- you go abroad
- you’re imprisoned or held in detention, or
- your immigration status has changed, if you’re not a British citizen.
If you do not report a change in your circumstances you could be taken to court or have to pay penalty.
Get in touch
To report a change in circumstances, contact the PIP enquiry line via:
Telephone: 0800 121 4433 or 0800 121 4493
Relay UK
If you are a British Sign Language user you can use the video Relay Service.
The team is available from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
- If you need someone to help you contact the PIP enquiry line you can:
- Ask for them to be added to your call - you cannot do this if you use textphone.
Ask someone else to call on your behalf - you’ll need to be with them when they call.
Learn more about how to register a change in circumstances on the GOV.UK website.
Making a claim
What information will I need to make a claim?
To make a claim for PIP you will need the following information:
- your contact details, for example, telephone number
- your date of birth
- your National Insurance number, if you have one (you can find this 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 in a care home or hospital, and
- dates for any time you spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, and the countries you visited.
If you have claimed DLA or PIP before you can ask that your earlier medical evidence is also made available. It is recommended that you also start collecting any supporting evidence that you might want to send to support your claim.
How do I make a claim for PIP? – England and Wales
If you would like to make a claim for PIP you can apply by telephone and post.
Please note that making a claim by post will mean that it will take longer for a decision to be made.
Learn more about applying for PIP on the GOV.UK website.
There are four steps to claiming PIP. These are:
- making your initial application
- explaining and giving evidence to prove how the condition or disability affects you
- assessment of your claim, and
- receiving the decision.
Can someone help me with my PIP application? – England and Wales
It is possible to have someone help you with your application.
If you are applying by telephone you can ask for the person who is helping you to be added to the call or you can ask someone to call on your behalf. You will need to be with the
individual who is calling on your behalf.
A person cannot be added to a call if you are using textphone.
How do I make a claim for PIP? - Northern Ireland
There are four steps to claiming PIP. These are:
- making your initial application
- explaining and giving evidence to prove how the condition or disability affects you
- assessment of your claim, and
- receiving the decision
Beginning your application
To make your initial application you will need to contact the PIP Centre by telephone, post or by using sign language.
Please note that making a claim by post will mean that it will take
longer for a decision to be made.
Learn more about applying for PIP on the nidirect website.
Can someone help me with my PIP application? – Northern Ireland
It is possible to have someone help you with your application.
If you are applying by telephone someone else can call on your behalf but you will need to be with them when they make the call.
Learn more about applying for PIP in Northern Ireland on the nidirect website.
Can my assessment be recorded?
Yes, your assessment can be recorded if you follow the correct procedure. You will need to begin this process before your assessment.
Find out more about how to organise your assessment to be recorded on the Citizens Advice website.
If the assessor refuses to record your assessment or tells you not to record it, you can complain to your assessment provider.
How do I make a claim if I might have less than 12 months left to live?
If a doctor or medical professional has told you that you might have 12 months or less left to live there is a quicker application process for you to access PIP.
You must be over 16 and be under state pension age if you have not received PIP
before.
Learn more about claiming PIP if you might have less than 12 months to live on GOV.UK.
I receive the mobility part of PIP, is there any additional support that I can receive?
If you receive the mobility part of PIP you may be eligible for additional support. These are:
If you receive the mobility part of PIP you are eligible for a disabled persons railcard.
Find out more about Disabled Persons Railcards on their website.
Challenging a PIP decision
If you disagree with the decision that’s been made about your PIP claim, you can challenge it.
Between August 2019 and July 2024 43% of normal new claims received an award.
In that same time period 34% of Mandatory Reconsiderations led to a change in award.
Additionally, between April 2019 and March 2024 69% of claims taken to PIP Tribunal were revised in favour of the customer.
Can I challenge a decision if I have missed the one month deadline?
As long as you are within 13 months of the decision you can still ask for a mandatory reconsideration.
Support with an appeal and going to tribunal
If you believe that a decision is wrong, you can appeal it. This includes a decision on an initial application and if your PIP is stopped or reduced.
Citizens Advice has guidance on how to challenge a decision and the processes involved, including
going to a tribunal hearing.
Visit the Citizens Advice website to find out more about:
- Challenging a decision through a mandatory reconsideration.
- Appealing against a PIP decision.
- What happens at a tribunal hearing and what will happen if you win or lose an appeal.
Get in touch
Visit the Citizens Advice website for your area to find out more about accessing support.
Northern Ireland
If you live in Northern Ireland, you can access support from nidirect.
Information and Advice on Benefits
You may meet the criteria for other benefits in addition to PIP and ADP. The tool below can help you find out what you may or may not be eligible for.
As a member of HM Armed Forces, or a family member of, you may be entitled to some in-service benefits.
Find out more about the benefits of working in HM Armed Forces on the Discover My Benefits website.
The Knowledge Base links below contain information about benefits and services which may be able to support you.
- Read about the Royal British Legion's Benefits, Debt and Money Advice Service and the support that you could be eligible for on the Knowledge Base website.
- Learn more about benefits, loans and grants here on the RBL website.
- Find out more about Disabled Facilities Grants on the RBL Knowledge Base website.
- Read about the Royal British Legion's Independent Living Service on the RBL Knowledge Base website.
