Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit that helps people aged 16 and over with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability. It’s gradually replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

What is Personal Independence Payment?

PIP helps with the extra costs of disability or long-term health conditions for people aged 16 and over. It’s a non means-tested benefit. So you can get it regardless of how much you earn, or whether you have savings or capital.

Who can get PIP?

To get PIP, you must:

• Need help with everyday tasks or getting around, or both because of a physical or mental condition.
• Have needed this help for at least three months and expect to need it for at least another nine months. Unless you’re terminally ill with less than six months to live. You can start your claim within the first three months of needing help but your PIP entitlement won’t begin until the three month period has finished.

PIP and DLA are being replaced by the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland

The Adult Disability Payment (ADP) will replace PIP and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults in Scotland in a staggered rollout that starts on 21 March 2022.

ADP will be paid by Social Security Scotland instead of the DWP, and you could get between £24.45 and £156.90 a week depending on how your health condition affects you.

If you’re already claiming PIP or DLA, Social Security Scotland will contact you about moving to ADP from the summer of 2022.

If you need to claim PIP or DLA after the rollout reaches your area, you will have to make a new claim for ADP instead when the rollout reaches your area. It’s planned to start in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles on 21 March 2022 and be rolled out to all of Scotland by 29 August 2022.

PIP rates

Personal Independence Payment is based on the level of help you need because of how your condition affects you and how able you are to do certain activities.

It is made up of two components:

The Mobility component might be paid if you need help getting about. This includes physically moving around and leaving your home. It’s also referred to as the mobility allowance.

The Daily living component might be paid if you need help with carrying out everyday activities, such as:

• 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.

Each component can be paid at either a standard or an enhanced rate. Depending on how your condition affects you, it’s possible to get one component or both, and either the standard or the enhanced rate. This is worked out using the results of an assessment.

How to claim PIP

You can claim by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0800 917 2222. For other ways to claim PIP visit GOV.UK.

If you’re in Northern Ireland, call 0800 012 1573 or go to the nidirect website to find out more and make a claim.

They’ll then check you qualify to claim. If you qualify, DWP will send you a form called ‘How your disability affects you’.

It’s important you fill in this form carefully and give as much detail as you can about your condition. For help filling in your PIP claim form, visit Citizens Advice.

When DWP gets your form, they’ll decide whether you need a medical assessment. Or they might decide to ask your health or social care worker for more information.

Your assessment will instead be carried out by telephone, textphone or post. If further information is needed, your GP might be contacted.

If you need an assessment, this is usually a face-to-face consultation with an independent, trained health professional.

The assessment is designed to work out what your individual needs are. It will focus on how well you can carry out a range of activities you need to do to cope with everyday life.

If you’re already claiming Disability Living Allowance

If you’re already claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA), you’ll get a letter from the DWP inviting you to make a claim for Personal Independence Payment. In Northern Ireland, the Social Security Agency will contact you.

This will happen even if you have an indefinite or lifetime award of DLA. The only exception is if you were born on or before 8 April 1948. In this case, you’ll continue to get Disability Living Allowance as long as you qualify for it.