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Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Updated: 22 May 2023

PIP helps with the extra costs of disability or long-term health conditions for people aged 16 and over.

It’s a non-means-tested benefit. So, you can get it regardless of how much you earn, or whether you have savings or capital.

To get PIP, you must:

  • Need help with everyday tasks or getting around, or both because of a physical or mental condition.
  • Have needed this help for at least three months and expect to need it for at least another nine months. Unless you’re terminally ill with less than six months to live. You can start your claim within the first three months of needing help but your PIP entitlement won’t begin until the three month period has finished.

PIP rates

PIP is based on the level of help you need because of how your condition affects you and how able you are to do certain activities.

It is made up of two components:

The Mobility component might be paid if you need help getting about. This includes physically moving around and leaving your home. It’s also referred to as the mobility allowance.

The Daily living component might be paid if you need help with carrying out everyday activities, such as:

  • preparing and cooking food
  • eating and drinking
  • managing your treatments
  • washing and bathing
  • managing toilet needs or incontinence
  • dressing and undressing
  • communicating with other people
  • reading and understanding written information
  • mixing with others
  • making decisions about money
  • planning a journey or following a route.
  • going out
  • moving around

Each component can be paid at either a standard or an enhanced rate.

Depending on how your condition affects you, it’s possible to get one component or both, and either the standard or the enhanced rate.

This is worked out using the results of an assessment.

Thinking of claiming?

If you are thinking of claiming POP, please visit GOV.UK/PIP so you can see if you are eligible to claim.

It has easy-read guides and links to YouTube videos about eligibility, evidence requirements and the claims process. These will help you to understand what information they need to provide to support your claim and consider whether PIP is the right benefit for you.

You can also find out more and make a claim by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0800 917 2222.

Is PIP right for you?

Need help to claim - get in touch 

Top 5 things to know about PIP:

1. Entitlement to PIP is not based on an individual’s health condition or disability alone but on how much a long-term health condition or disability impacts an individual’s daily life or mobility.

2. To qualify for PIP, the impacts of a health condition or disability must have been present for 3 months and be expected to last at least a further 9 months.

3. PIP claimants will have a functional assessment considering how their health condition or disability impacts on 12 key everyday activities (set out on this page) which are fundamental to living an independent life.

4. If an individual can manage the PIP daily living and mobility activities safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period, without being supported by someone or using equipment, it is unlikely they will get PIP.

5. When applying for PIP, individuals should provide any relevant information they already have about how their health condition affects them. This may mean that a health professional can assess the claim using this information, and not need a face to face or virtual consultation, and a decision can be made more quickly. Individuals shouldn’t request new documents for their application as these can incur a fee (for example from GPs). 

Health Adjustment Passport – making working accessible

The Health Adjustment Passport (HAP) is now available on GOV.UK and can be used by those with a disability or health condition to help identify what support and changes (known as reasonable adjustments) they may need when they are in work or moving into work. This could include support from Access to Work, such as funding for specialist equipment, support getting to and from work or support when in work.

The HAP is owned by the individual, who can decide how they want to use it and completion is voluntary, with support from a work coach if appropriate.