The PIP mobility component helps with the extra costs of getting around when you have a health condition or disability. Here’s what each rate pays and how to qualify.
PIP Mobility Rates 2026-27
| Rate | Weekly | 4-Weekly | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard rate | £28.70 | £114.80 | £124.37 |
| Enhanced rate | £75.75 | £303.00 | £328.25 |
PIP is paid every 4 weeks, not monthly.
Mobility Activities and Descriptors
The mobility component is assessed on two activities. You need a total of 8 points from both activities combined for the standard rate, or 12 points (or a specific descriptor worth 12 points alone) for the enhanced rate.
Activity 1: Planning and Following Journeys
This assesses your ability to plan a route and follow it to a destination.
| Descriptor | Points |
|---|---|
| Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided | 0 |
| Needs prompting to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress | 4 |
| Cannot plan the route of a journey | 8 |
| Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid | 10 |
| Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress | 10 |
| Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid | 12 |
Activity 2: Moving Around
This assesses how far you can walk reliably, repeatedly, safely, and in a reasonable time.
| Descriptor | Points |
|---|---|
| Can stand and move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided | 0 |
| Can stand and move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided | 4 |
| Can stand and move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres | 8 |
| Can stand and move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres | 10 |
| Can stand and move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided | 12 |
| Cannot, either aided or unaided, stand or move more than 1 metre, or cannot stand or move at all | 12 |
Qualifying for Each Rate
Standard Rate (8-11 points)
You typically qualify if you:
- Can walk between 20-50 metres but with significant difficulty
- Need help planning or following unfamiliar journeys due to cognitive or mental health conditions
- Combine difficulties across both activities to reach 8 points
Enhanced Rate (12+ points)
You typically qualify if you:
- Cannot walk more than 20 metres reliably
- Cannot follow even a familiar route without assistance
- Score 12 points on a single descriptor in either activity
The 20-metre rule: For Activity 2, the distance is assessed based on walking reliably — meaning safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, and in a reasonable time. If you can physically take 20 steps but collapse afterwards, that’s not reliable walking.
What Reliably Means
DWP uses four criteria to judge whether you can walk a distance:
| Criterion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Safely | Without significant risk of falling or injury |
| Repeatedly | Not just once — you need to be able to do it again and again |
| To an acceptable standard | Without extreme pain, breathlessness, or fatigue |
| In a reasonable time | Not taking significantly longer than an average person |
If you can walk 50 metres once on a good day but can’t do it repeatedly, or it causes severe pain, you may score higher points than the raw distance suggests.
Additional Entitlements by Rate
| Benefit/Scheme | Standard Rate | Enhanced Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Motability scheme | No | Yes |
| Blue Badge | Not automatic (may still qualify) | Automatic qualification |
| Road tax exemption | No | Yes |
| Disabled person’s bus pass | Varies by council | Yes |
| Congestion charge exemption | No | Yes (London) |
| Community transport | May qualify | Yes |
| Disabled parking bays | Only with Blue Badge | Yes (with Blue Badge) |
The Motability Scheme
If you receive the enhanced rate mobility component, you can join the Motability scheme. This lets you exchange your mobility payment to lease:
| Option | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Car | New car every 3 years, insurance, servicing, breakdown cover included |
| Wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) | Adapted vehicle for wheelchair users |
| Powered wheelchair | Electric wheelchair with insurance and maintenance |
| Scooter | Mobility scooter with insurance and maintenance |
You give up your enhanced rate mobility payment (£75.75/week) and Motability provides the vehicle. Some popular or larger vehicles require an advance payment.
Tips for Your Mobility Assessment
- Describe your worst days — Not your best
- Be specific about distances — “I can walk to the end of my drive (about 15 metres) before needing to stop”
- Mention all conditions — Physical and mental health conditions that affect mobility
- Explain variability — “3 days a week I can’t leave the house at all; on better days I manage about 30 metres”
- Include the impact — What happens after you walk: pain levels, recovery time, fatigue
- Mention aids — Walking sticks, crutches, wheelchair, frames — using an aid changes which descriptor applies