Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides financial support if you have a long-term health condition or disability that affects your daily life or mobility. Unlike some benefits, PIP isn’t means-tested — your income and savings don’t affect eligibility — and you can claim whether you’re working or not.
This page covers who qualifies, how much you could receive, how the points work, what happens at the assessment, and how to challenge a decision, with links to a detailed guide on each.
Guides in This Hub
Getting Started
- PIP eligibility: who can claim
- First time claiming PIP: step by step
- DLA to PIP: how the move works
- How long does a PIP decision take?
- PIP backdating rules
- Can I claim PIP while working?
Rates and Payments
- PIP rates: daily living and mobility
- What to do if your PIP payment is late
- What happens to PIP in hospital?
Assessment and Evidence
- PIP descriptors: all 12 activities and their points
- PIP assessment tips, home assessments and hidden conditions
- PIP evidence requirements
- What happens if you miss a PIP assessment?
Challenging a Decision
Reviews, Award Endings and Stopped Payments
PIP and Other Benefits
- PIP and Universal Credit together
- Motability Scheme guide
- Blue Badge application guide
- PIP and driving
- Disabled Persons Railcard guide
- Disability benefits guide UK
Condition Guides
- Arthritis
- Back pain and sciatica
- Chronic pain, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS and endometriosis
- Mental health: anxiety, depression, bipolar and PTSD
- ADHD and autism
- IBS, Crohn’s disease and other bowel conditions
- Neurological conditions: Parkinson’s, MS, epilepsy, stroke and dementia
- Hearing loss
- Cancer, including the special rules for terminal illness
- Diabetes
- COPD and lung conditions
Changes to PIP
Related Benefit Hubs
- Carer’s Allowance Guide
- Carers and Disability Hub
- ESA Guide UK
- Attendance Allowance Guide
- Universal Credit Hub
What Is PIP?
PIP helps with the extra costs of living with a disability or long-term health condition. It’s paid in addition to other benefits and doesn’t affect your income tax.
PIP has two components:
| Component | Purpose | Monthly Rates (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Living | Help with everyday activities | £332.37 – £496.60 |
| Mobility | Help getting around | £131.30 – £346.67 |
You can receive one or both components, depending on how your condition affects you. Each component has two rates: standard and enhanced.
PIP Replaced DLA for Adults
If you got Disability Living Allowance (DLA) as an adult and were born after 8 April 1948, DWP invites you to claim PIP instead. New claims for DLA can only be made for children under 16; people born on or before 8 April 1948 keep their DLA.
PIP Rates 2026/27
Daily Living Component
| Award Level | Weekly Rate | Monthly Equivalent | Points Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | £76.70 | £332.37 | 8-11 points |
| Enhanced | £114.60 | £496.60 | 12+ points |
Mobility Component
| Award Level | Weekly Rate | Monthly Equivalent | Points Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | £30.30 | £131.30 | 8-11 points |
| Enhanced | £80.00 | £346.67 | 12+ points |
Maximum Total PIP Payment
If you qualify for both enhanced rates:
- Weekly: £194.60
- Monthly: £843.27
- Annual: £10,119.20
Who Can Claim PIP?
Basic Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | You're 16 or over, and usually under State Pension age to make a new claim. State Pension age is 66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. |
| Condition duration | You expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started. |
| Living in Great Britain | You've lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years. |
| Where you live | You're living in England or Wales when you apply. In Scotland you apply for Adult Disability Payment instead. Northern Ireland runs its own PIP. |
Conditions That Qualify
PIP is based on how your condition affects you, not the diagnosis itself. Any physical or mental health condition can qualify if it limits your ability to carry out daily activities or get around.
Common conditions include:
- Mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia)
- Autism and ADHD
- Chronic pain conditions (fibromyalgia, arthritis, back problems)
- Neurological conditions (MS, Parkinson’s, epilepsy)
- Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME
- Diabetes
- Heart and lung conditions
- Sensory impairments (sight loss, hearing loss)
The key question: How does your condition affect your ability to do things — not what the condition is called.
How PIP Is Assessed: Points System
PIP uses a points-based system across activities. You’re assessed on how you manage each activity, considering:
- Whether you can do it safely
- Whether you can do it reliably (to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, in a reasonable time)
- Whether you need aids, appliances, or another person’s help
Daily Living Activities (10 Activities) — Full Descriptors Guide
| Activity | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| 1. Preparing food | 8 |
| 2. Taking nutrition | 10 |
| 3. Managing therapy or health condition | 8 |
| 4. Washing and bathing | 8 |
| 5. Managing toilet needs | 8 |
| 6. Dressing and undressing | 8 |
| 7. Communicating verbally | 12 |
| 8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols, words | 8 |
| 9. Engaging with other people face to face | 8 |
| 10. Making budgeting decisions | 6 |
Mobility Activities (2 Activities)
| Activity | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| 1. Planning and following journeys | 12 |
| 2. Moving around | 12 |
How Points Add Up
Points from all relevant activities are totalled separately for daily living and mobility:
| Total Points | Award Level |
|---|---|
| 0-7 points | No award for that component |
| 8-11 points | Standard rate |
| 12+ points | Enhanced rate |
Important: You don’t need high scores across many activities. Even scoring well on just one or two activities might be enough to qualify. For example, needing help with just communication (up to 12 points) could qualify you for enhanced daily living.
The PIP Claim Process
Step 1: Make a Claim
Call the PIP claim line: 0800 917 2222 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm)
During the call you answer some basic questions. You then fill in the “How your disability affects you” form (PIP2), either online using an emailed link or on paper (the paper form usually arrives within 2 weeks). In some areas you can make the whole application online.
Step 2: Complete the PIP2 Form
This is the most important part of your claim. The form asks about each daily living and mobility activity.
Tips for completing the form:
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Describe your worst days, not your best | Minimise your difficulties |
| Be specific about what happens | Say “I can’t” without explaining why |
| Explain the help you need, even if you don’t currently get it | Focus only on help you currently receive |
| Mention pain, fatigue, and how long things take | Assume they understand your condition |
| Include fluctuating symptoms | Only describe average days |
Send the form back within 1 month (extensions possible if needed). Include supporting evidence.
Step 3: Gather Evidence
Strong evidence significantly improves your chances. Useful documents include:
| Evidence Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Medical | GP letters, consultant reports, care plans |
| Professional | OT assessments, social worker reports, physiotherapy notes |
| Prescriptions | Current medication list (shows ongoing treatment) |
| Supporting statements | Letters from carers, family, support workers describing what help you need |
Request evidence early — GPs and consultants often take weeks to respond.
Step 4: Attend a PIP Assessment
See our PIP assessment tips guide for full preparation guidance. If DWP needs more information you are invited to an assessment with a health professional (usually a nurse, occupational therapist, physiotherapist or paramedic). It can be at an assessment centre, at your home, by phone or by video call, and usually takes about an hour.
What to expect:
- Questions about each daily living and mobility activity
- How your condition varies day to day
- What medication you take and its side effects
- Any aids or appliances you use
- Physical observations (posture, communication ability, mobility)
Assessment tips:
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Take someone with you for support | Go alone if anxious |
| Answer honestly about your difficulties | Exaggerate — inconsistencies damage your case |
| Describe your worst days | Only describe good days |
| Explain if you struggle during the assessment | Hide your difficulties out of pride |
| Ask for breaks if needed | Push through if you’re in pain or fatigued |
| Request home assessment if you can’t travel | Assume you must attend a centre |
Step 5: Decision
You’ll receive a decision letter within a few weeks of the assessment. This explains:
- Whether you’ve been awarded PIP
- Which components and rates (if successful)
- How long the award lasts
- How to challenge the decision (if unsuccessful)
If Your Claim Is Refused
Many PIP decisions are changed on appeal: most appeals decided at a tribunal hearing go in the claimant’s favour. Don’t give up if you’re refused.
Mandatory Reconsideration
You must request a “Mandatory Reconsideration” (MR) within one month of the decision letter. Call the PIP helpline or write to DWP explaining why you disagree.
Include:
- What you think the decision got wrong
- Any new evidence supporting your case
- Which activities and descriptors you believe apply
DWP will look at your claim again and send a new decision.
Tribunal Appeal
If the mandatory reconsideration upholds the refusal, you can appeal to an independent tribunal within one month of the MR decision.
The tribunal includes a judge, doctor, and disability expert. They’ll:
- Review all your evidence
- Ask questions about how your condition affects you
- Make an independent decision (which can increase, decrease, or uphold the DWP’s award)
Key facts:
- Tribunals are less formal than courts
- You can bring a support person
- DWP doesn’t usually attend
- Free appeals — no cost risk
- Welfare rights advisors (Citizens Advice, disability charities) often provide free representation
Living with a PIP Award
Award Reviews
A first PIP award lasts between 9 months and 10 years, depending on whether your needs are likely to change. Before your award ends, DWP sends a review form to reassess your circumstances.
DWP can also review your award before it is due to end.
Tips for reviews:
- Keep copies of all evidence you submit
- Update DWP of any changes to your condition
- Treat reviews as carefully as original claims — don’t assume renewal is automatic
Changes to Your Condition
Report any changes that might affect your award:
- Condition improves significantly (legally required)
- Condition worsens (you can request a review to increase your award)
- You move to a new address
What You Can Spend PIP On
PIP is paid to you directly and you can spend it on anything. Many people use it for:
- Taxis and transport costs
- Help with household tasks
- Mobility aids
- Heating (health conditions often need warmer homes)
- Pre-prepared food
- Support services
Other Benefits Affected by PIP
Having PIP can increase or unlock other benefits:
| Benefit | Effect of PIP |
|---|---|
| Universal Credit | PIP isn’t counted as income, and getting it exempts your household from the benefit cap |
| Carer’s Allowance | If you get the daily living part, someone caring for you 35+ hours a week may claim |
| Motability | Enhanced mobility rate gives access to Motability scheme |
| Blue Badge | 8+ points on “moving around”, or 10 points on the relevant “planning and following journeys” descriptor, qualifies automatically |
| Council Tax Reduction | May increase reduction |
| Pension Credit | May increase entitlement |
Motability Scheme
If you receive enhanced rate mobility, you can use the Motability scheme to lease a car, scooter, or powered wheelchair in exchange for your mobility payment.
The scheme includes:
- Insurance, servicing, breakdown cover, and tyres
- Adaptations if needed
- A new car every 3 years (5 years for a wheelchair accessible vehicle)
PIP and Changes in Circumstances
You must report certain changes to the DWP:
| Change | Action Required |
|---|---|
| Moving to Scotland | Tell DWP and make a new claim for Adult Disability Payment (ADP); PIP stops 13 weeks after you move |
| Going abroad for more than 4 weeks | Tell DWP if you plan to go abroad for more than 4 weeks; PIP can carry on for up to 13 weeks away, or 26 weeks if it's for medical treatment. |
| Your condition significantly worsens | Can request an unplanned review to potentially increase award |
| Reaching State Pension age | Existing PIP award continues; new claims go through Attendance Allowance instead |
| Going into hospital or care | PIP stops after 28 days in an NHS hospital; in a care home funded by the council, the daily living part stops after 28 days but mobility continues |
Common Questions
How much is PIP per month?
PIP ranges from £76.70/week (standard daily living only) to £194.60/week (both enhanced rates). Monthly equivalents: £332.37 to £843.27. You may receive one or both components.
Can I receive PIP while working?
Yes. PIP is not means-tested and doesn’t depend on your employment status. Many people receive PIP while working full-time. See our full guide to PIP and work.
How long does a PIP claim take?
Usually a few months from the first phone call to a decision; see how long a PIP decision takes. Appeals take longer.
What conditions automatically qualify for PIP?
No conditions automatically qualify. PIP is assessed based on how your condition affects you, not the diagnosis. However, You can claim PIP under the special rules for end of life if a doctor or medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live and you're 16 or over (and under State Pension age if you haven't had PIP before). You then automatically get the enhanced daily living rate.
What’s the difference between PIP and DLA?
PIP replaced DLA for adults. New DLA claims can only be made for children under 16, and people born on or before 8 April 1948 keep their DLA. PIP uses a points-based assessment of daily living and mobility activities. Adults on DLA born after 8 April 1948 are invited to claim PIP.
How many points do I need for PIP?
You need 8 points for the standard rate or 12 points for the enhanced rate. Points are calculated separately for daily living and mobility components.
See all guides: The full directory of PIP guides is at the top of this page, covering rates, assessments, conditions, appeals, reviews, and related benefits.