The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new data on PIP claims up until October 2024. The data breaks down claimants into the disabilities, conditions and illnesses that qualify them for the benefit, highlighting the top five conditions currently earning people up to £737 a month.
As of the end of October, psychiatric disorders, including conditions like anxiety, psychotic disorders, PTSD and learning disabilities, are the most common, indirectly giving them the highest application success rate.
Over 1.4 million claimants receive PIP for psychiatric disorders, which is roughly 37% of people who claim the benefit. It’s important to note that people may have multiple conditions and disorders listed on their application.
The second highest category is general musculoskeletal diseases, accounting for a much smaller 20% of claimants. This includes issues like arthritis, chronic pain and even some genetic disorders like Margan’s syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta.
Neurological diseases account for 470,380 claimants receiving the benefit. This broad category ranges from muscular dystrophy and head injuries to migraines and writer’s cramp.
Regional musculoskeletal diseases makeup 12% of successful claimants, focusing on ailments affecting specific body parts like scoliosis, amputations and tennis elbow.
Finally, the fifth most common group of conditions for PIP claimants, accounting for only 138,534 successful applications or just 4% of total claimants, is respiratory diseases. This group includes cystic fibrosis, asthma, lung transplants and pneumonia.
It’s crucial to understand that PIP benefits are not granted or denied based on your specific diagnosis, some individuals can make successful claims even without a firm diagnosis.
Instead, the benefit assessment criteria aim to determine how much your disability or condition affects your mobility and daily life, however, it doesn’t have to impact both.
The daily living rate is currently worth £72.65 a week for the lower level, or £108.55 a week for the higher rate. There is also the mobility part of PIP, which is worth £28.70 a week for the lower level, and £75.75 a week for the higher level.
You can be entitled to both the daily living and mobility elements of PIP, or just one of these. If you receive both parts at the higher rates, then PIP is worth £737.20 every four weeks.
Around 37% of all claimants are receiving the highest rates of PIP for both the daily living and mobility components according to Mirror.
If your condition changes, your benefit entitlement might also change and you’ll need to alert the DWP as soon as possible so your case can be reviewed and you can avoid unintentional benefit fraud or missing out on a due increase. More information can be found on the Gov.uk website.
