Personal Independence Payment

If you need extra help with day-to-day activities or have trouble getting around due to your condition, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

PIP is for you, not for a carer (if you have one), and you don't need to have someone supporting or caring for you to qualify. If you're awarded this benefit, it's entirely up to you how you use it.

PIP isn't taxable and you don't need to have paid National Insurance contributions to get it. You can claim PIP whether you're in or out of work. PIP is not means-tested. In other words, it's not affected by your earnings, other benefits you receive or by any savings you have.

Getting PIP may increase the amount of any means-tested benefits you receive, such as Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credit or income-related employment and Support Allowance.

To qualify for PIP, you must meet the following basic conditions.

• If you're making a new claim for PIP, you must be 16 or over and under State Pension age. You won't be able to make a new claim for PIP if you've reached State Pension age, but you will be able to stay on PIP if you claimed it for the first time before you reached State Pension age. If you've reached State Pension age and have care or supervision needs, then you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance instead.
• You must have been present in Great Britain (or Northern Ireland, if you live there) for 2 out of the last 3 years before claiming. If you're terminally ill, you need to be present in Great Britain but the time conditions don't apply.
• You must normally live in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Republic of Ireland or the Isle of Man. Your immigration status must not prevent you from claiming.

You must also meet the disability conditions. These look at your daily living needs and your mobility needs. They're worked out by the PIP assessment (see below).

You must have met the disability conditions for at least 3 months before a PIP award can be made (you won't have to wait a further 3 months for payment if you've already met the conditions for 3 months or more before making the claim).

You must also be likely to continue to meet the disability conditions for a period of 9 months in the future. If you're terminally ill, the 3- and 9-month rules don't apply.

PIP has 2 parts – a 'daily living component' and a 'mobility component'. You can get either component or both together, depending on your needs.

The daily living component

The daily living component helps cover extra costs to help you carry out your daily living activities. It's paid at 2 different rates – a standard rate and an enhanced rate.

The rate you're paid depends on whether your ability to carry out daily living activities is limited or severely limited. This is tested under the PIP assessment.

The mobility component

This component helps cover the extra costs that you may face if you have difficulties getting around. It's paid at 2 different rates – a standard rate and an enhanced rate.

The rate you're paid depends on whether your ability to carry out mobility activities is limited or severely limited. This is tested under the PIP assessment.

If you qualify for the enhanced rate, you may be able to join the Motability scheme. This lets disabled people use the enhanced rate to obtain a new car, powered wheelchair or scooter.

You also automatically qualify for the Blue Badge scheme, which allows people with mobility problems to park closer to places, services or facilities you may want to visit or use.

The PIP assessment is a test of your ability to take part in everyday life. It's a points-related assessment and is based on your ability to perform different activities relating to certain daily living needs and your mobility.

The number of points you score will determine whether or not you're entitled to either component of PIP and, if you are, at which rate.

The daily living activities

Your ability to carry out daily living activities is assessed by looking at 10 types of activity. These are:

• preparing food
• taking nutrition (eating and drinking)
• 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
• engaging with other people face-to-face
• making budgeting decisions

The mobility activities

Your ability to carry out mobility activities is assessed by looking at 2 types of activity:

• planning and following journeys
• moving around

Scoring points

Within each of the above activity headings are a series of 'descriptors' with scores ranging from 0 to 12 points. The descriptors describe related tasks of various levels of difficulty and the different types of help you need to complete each task.

You score points for the descriptor that best describes the level at which you can complete the task safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable amount of time.

The highest descriptor scores from each activity heading are added together to work out your points for each component.

How many points do you need?

To be entitled to the standard rate of the daily living component, you need to score at least 8 points under the 10 daily living activity headings. To be entitled to the enhanced rate, you need to score at least 12 points.

Likewise, to be entitled to the standard rate of the mobility component, you need to score at least 8 points under the 2 mobility activity headings, and at least 12 points for the enhanced rate.

What if my condition fluctuates?

A descriptor will apply if you're unable to complete a task on the majority (more than half) of days. This will be considered over a 12-month period, looking back 3 months and forward 9 months.

Where 1 descriptor is satisfied on over half the days in that period, that descriptor will apply. Where 2 or more descriptors are satisfied on over half the days, the descriptor which scores the highest number of points will apply.

If you're not sure which descriptors apply to you, keeping a diary over a week may help you to choose.

Each component of PIP has 2 rates: a standard rate and an enhanced rate. The rate you receive depends on how many points you score in the PIP assessment.

Daily living component per week:

• standard rate - £60
• enhanced rate - £89.60

Mobility component per week:

• standard rate - £23.70
• enhanced rate - £62.55

PIP can be paid in addition to other social security benefits. It's not counted as income in the calculation of means-tested benefits.

However, your local authority can take PIP into account when considering whether you need to contribute towards the cost of any care and support services you receive.

PIP is not taxable. It's not based on National Insurance contributions. Any income or savings you have won't affect it.