The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released the latest figures, revealing that over 3.5 million adults in Great Britain are now beneficiaries of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
It’s essential to understand that PIP assessments are based on how a person’s health condition or disability affects their everyday life, not the condition itself, as highlighted in the DWP‘s online PIP Handbook for 2024.
The official guidance on GOV. UK explains: “As the assessment principles consider the impact of a claimant’s condition on their ability to live independently and not the condition itself, claimants with the same condition may get different outcomes. The outcome is based on an independent assessment and all available evidence.”
When applying for PIP, applicants undergo an evaluation by a healthcare professional who assesses their ability to perform daily living and mobility activities, taking into account the impact of their health condition or disability, reports the Daily Record.
The healthcare professional prepares a report for the PIP decision maker, who then reviews all the evidence to decide on the claimant’s eligibility for the benefit, the appropriate payment rate, and the term of the award. PIP is divided into two parts: the daily living component and the mobility component, each payable at either standard or enhanced rates.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will determine whether your ability to perform the component is limited, in which case you will receive the standard rate, or severely limited, warranting the enhanced rate.
Daily living component
You might get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with:
- eating, drinking or preparing food
- washing, bathing and using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- reading and communicating
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- socialising and being around other people
Mobility component
You might get the mobility component of PIP if you need help with:
- working out a route and following it
- physically moving around
- leaving your home
According to guidance on GOV.UK, you don’t need to have a physical disability to qualify for the mobility part. You might also be eligible if you struggle with mobility due to cognitive or mental health conditions, such as anxiety.
How difficulty with tasks is assessed
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will evaluate how challenging you find daily living and mobility tasks, similar to the guidance on ADP in Scotland.
For each task, the DWP will consider:
- whether you can do it safely
- how long it takes you
- how often your condition affects this activity
- whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
The descriptors
If you’ve reached this point, you should have a basic understanding of how PIP is awarded. The next section discusses descriptors, how they are scored, and how that influences the pay award.
Your ability to perform each activity is compared against a list of standard statements describing what you can or cannot do.
These are referred to as the descriptors. The health professional will advise the DWP which descriptor applies to you for each activity.
The Citizen’s Advice website has an entire section dedicated to this, including a downloadable guide to all the points awarded for each response – you can view this here. An example they use is there are six descriptors for ‘Dressing and undressing’, ranging from ‘Can dress and undress unaided’ to ‘Cannot dress or undress at all’.
Each descriptor carries a points score ranging from 0 to 12.
Using aids or appliances
The assessment for daily living and mobility activities for PIP (Personal Independence Payment) takes into account the use of any aids or appliances deemed reasonable, whether normally used by the claimant or not. Use of such aids may increase the likelihood of scoring additional points.
Citizens Advice clarifies: “An aid is any item which improves, provides or replaces impaired physical or mental function. It doesn’t have to be specially designed as a disability aid. Examples include a stool you need to sit on when cooking, or a walking stick to help you stand.”
Daily living scores
For the daily living component of PIP, claimants must have a condition that limits their capabilities in specific activities, as outlined below.
Similarly, for the mobility component, limitations due to physical or mental conditions for specific activities are considered.
Daily living activity:
- Preparing food – 8
- Taking medication – 10
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition – 8
- Washing and bathing – 8
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence – 8
- Dressing and undressing – 8
- Communicating verbally – 12
- Reading and understanding symbols and words – 8
- Engaging with other people face to face – 8
- Making budgeting decisions – 6
Mobility activity:
- planning and following journeys – 12
- moving around – 12
The maximum number of PIP points per question aligns with these assessments and determines eligibility and payment rates for both components after completing all relevant questions.
Points and payment rates
After answering all the daily living activity questions:
- If you get between 8 and 11 points in total – you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP
- If you get at least 12 points in total – you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP
After answering all the mobility activity questions:
- If you get between 8 and 11 points in total – you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP
- If you get at least 12 points in total – you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP
PIP payment rates for 2024/25
PIP is typically paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. The payments will be made directly into your bank, building society or credit union account.
A successful claim for PIP can provide between £28.70 and £184.30 each week in additional financial support. Given that the benefit is paid every four weeks, this equates to between £114.80 and £737.20 per payment period.
From April 8, you will receive the following amounts per week, depending on your award level:
Daily Living Component
- Enhanced: £108.55
- Standard: £72.65
Mobility Component
- Enhanced: £75.75
- Standard: £28.70
Find out more about PIP on GOV.UK here.
