Personal Independence Payments (PIP) can provide a large increase to you income, offering up to nearly £800 a month at the top rate. This DWP benefit is designed to help those with long-term health issues or disabilities and payment rates are not subject to means testing.
A variety of medical conditions may make you eligible for PIP, provided they impact your daily activities or mobility, or both. The PIP guidelines list five categories of qualifying conditions: “Health conditions or disabilities may be physical, sensory, mental, intellectual or cognitive, or any combination of these.”
An assessment might be necessary when applying for PIP, during which all these types will be considered in relation to how your condition affects you.
PIP comprises two components: one for daily living and another for mobility, each with lower and higher rates based on the level of assistance required.
These are the current weekly rates for the payments:
Mobility
- Lower – £28.70
- Higher – £75.75
Daily living
- Lower – £72.65
- Higher – £108.55.
At the highest rate for both, you would receive £184.30 weekly, equating to £737.20 over a four-week period, or roughly £798.63 per month.
The amount of support an individual qualifies for is determined by a points system based on their ability to carry out specific tasks.
DWP guidance states that these are the 12 activities that you are assessed for:
Daily living activities:
- Activity 1: Preparing food
- Activity 2: Eating and drinking
- Activity 3: Managing your treatments
- Activity 4: Washing and bathing
- Activity 5: Using the toilet and managing incontinence
- Activity 6: Dressing and undressing
- Activity 7: Talking, listening and understanding
- Activity 8: Reading
- Activity 9: Mixing with other people
- Activity 10: Managing money.
Mobility activities:
- Activity 11: Planning and following a journey
- Activity 12: Moving around.
To qualify for the lower rate of PIP, you need a minimum of eight points, while 12 points are needed for the higher rate. The PIP (Personal Independence Payment) handbook details: “Within each activity there are a number of descriptors, each representing a varying level of ability to carry out the activity. Individuals will receive a point score for each activity, depending on how well they can carry them out and the help they need to do so.”