You might be able to get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you need extra help because of an illness, disability or mental health condition.You can make a PIP claim whether or not you get help from anyone.
You don’t need to have worked or paid National Insurance to qualify for PIP, and it doesn’t matter what your income is, if you have any savings or you’re working.
If you have a terminal illness
There are different eligibility rules if you have a terminal illness. Check how to claim PIP if you’re terminally ill.
Check the main eligibility rules
To get PIP you must find it hard to do everyday tasks or get around because of a physical or mental condition. You must have found these things hard for 3 months and expect them to continue to be hard for another 9 months.
You must be living in England or Wales when you apply - unless you or a close family member are in the armed forces.
You must be at least 16 years old to get PIP.
If you’ve reached State Pension age
There are extra rules if you’re making a new claim for PIP after you’ve reached State Pension age. You can check your State Pension age on GOV.UK.
Check if you can get PIP after State Pension age.
If you're in a hospital or care home
You can claim PIP while you're in hospital, a care home or a nursing home, but it can affect when your payments start.
If you’re in hospital, payments usually start when you leave.You can get PIP while you’re in hospital if either:
If you’re in a care home and you pay privately, you can get PIP while you’re there.
If the government, the NHS or your local council pay for you to stay in the care home, you can’t get the ‘daily living component’ of PIP until you leave. You can still get the ‘mobility component’. The daily living component is for the extra help you need with everyday tasks. The mobility component is for the extra help you need getting around.
If you’re in a residential college or school, your eligibility for PIP can be affected if a local authority pays the fees.Get help from an adviser.
If you’ve lived outside of the UK
You'll need to show you've lived in Great Britain for 2 out of the last 3 years- this is known as the ‘past presence’ test. Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland. It doesn’t include Northern Ireland.
Your time spent in Great Britain doesn't need to have been in one go. For example, you could have lived in England for 1 year, the USA for 1 year and Wales for 1 year.
If you haven’t been in the UK for long enough, check if there’s another way to pass the past presence test or if you can get PIP without passing the test.
If you have a terminal illness
You don’t have to pass the past presence test if you’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness and your doctors say you could die within 12 months.
Instead, you’ll need to give evidence to show the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man is your main home. This is known as being ‘habitually resident’.
Check if you’re habitually resident.
If you get a pension or benefit from the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein
Your eligibility for PIP could be affected.The rules in this area are complicated and it’s best to get advice before you apply. You can get help from your nearest Citizens Advice.
If you’re not a UK citizen
You can only get PIP if your immigration status lets you claim public funds.
You can claim public funds if you have any of the following:
If you have any other immigration status, check if your immigration status lets you claim public funds.
Your illness, disability or mental health condition
PIP is not based on the condition you have or the medication you take. It is based on the level of help you need because of how your condition affects you.
You’re assessed on the level of help you need with specific activities. It’s hard to say if the level of help you need will qualify you for PIP. But, if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying:
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
moving around
The help you get may be from a person, an aid (such as a walking stick or guide dog) or an adaptation to your home or car.
Check how to claim PIP
If you think you might be eligible for PIP, check how to start your claim.
FAQs
In summary these are our top tips for a successful PIP claim:
- Always be honest.
- Answer describing how you feel 'most of the time'.
- Add concise, unambiguous comments.
- Aim for consistency with your answers.
- Don't be afraid to get professional help.
you are aged 16 or over. you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. you have difficulties doing certain everyday tasks or getting around. you have had these difficulties for at least three months and expect them to last for at least another nine months.
How likely am I to be accepted for PIP? ›
The overall average success rate for PIP claims is 52%, but this varies widely depending on your main disabling condition.
How can I increase my chances of getting PIP? ›
It's useful to include evidence from health professionals on how your condition affects you. It can give the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) a clearer picture of how your condition affects you and give you a better chance of being properly assessed.
What is the 50 rule for PIP? ›
Always bear in mind the 50% rule. The PIP process needs to know if you have difficulty with, or can't do, daily tasks 50% of the time or more. So that's at least half of the time. If you are affected half the time or more, you have to let the assessor and DWP decision maker know very clearly.
How do I pass the PIP test? ›
These general PIP assessment tips will also help you: Don't let the assessor rush you. Try not to just answer 'yes' or 'no' to the questions. Always explain how doing something would make you feel afterwards and the impact it can have on you if you had to do it repeatedly in a short period.
Why is PIP so hard to get? ›
To qualify for PIP, you have to score enough points on the PIP test for daily living or mobility (or both). If you score between eight and 11 points for the daily living activities, you get the standard rate of the daily living component. If you score 12 or more points, or you are terminally ill.
Can you be denied PIP? ›
The DWP can refuse your application if it's late, but as long as you applied within 13 months of the date on your decision letter you can still appeal their decision at a tribunal.
What illness automatically qualifies for PIP? ›
There's actually no specific PIP list of medical conditions in the UK. You can get PIP with any disability or condition, as long as you struggle with either daily living or mobility for three months.
What are the 12 points for PIP? ›
PIP Points Scores Daily Living Activities
- 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.
You do not have to have a physical disability to get the mobility part. You might also be eligible if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, like anxiety.
Who is most likely to get PIP? ›
Psychiatric disorders
With 37% of people receiving PIP having a psychiatric disorder, it is the most common condition people receiving PIP claim for. Psychiatric disorders are mental health conditions that can affect how a person thinks and feels about themselves and/or the world around them.
What answers to put on PIP form? ›
Include as much detail as possible. To qualify for PIP, you need to show that you need help with the activities on more than half the days in a year. Make it clear on the form how often you have problems with the activities. If your health changes, explain how often this happens and the effect it has on you.
What kind of evidence do you need for PIP? ›
Supporting evidence can come in the form of: Statement from a carer, friend or family member. Daily routine diary and personal statement. Medical evidence (records, prescriptions, letters from medical professionals).
How can I make sure I get PIP? ›
Send a letter to 'Personal Independence Payment New Claims'. You'll be sent a form asking for your personal information, such as your address and your age. Fill in and return the form. You'll then be sent a form which asks about your disability or condition.
What to say to get PIP for mental health? ›
Try to explain how stress or anxiety:
- makes it difficult for you to speak or deal with people.
- can increase the risk of you getting lost.
- makes you feel - for example, you feel sick, faint, confused or disorientated.
- affects your ability to do any of the other tasks listed in the PIP claim form.
Explain how you cope on both good days and bad and how you manage over a longer period of time (like a week). This gives the DWP a better picture of how you cope most of the time. Make it clear: if you have good days and bad days.
What conditions are most likely to be awarded PIP? ›
With 37% of people receiving PIP having a psychiatric disorder, it is the most common condition people receiving PIP claim for. Psychiatric disorders are mental health conditions that can affect how a person thinks and feels about themselves and/or the world around them.
What are the 8 points for PIP? ›
PIP Points Scores Daily Living Activities
- 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.
