People who receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) could be eligible for a range of discounts and freebies.
Around 2.8 million people are in receipt of PIP, according to the latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.
In the quarter ending October 2021, there were 180,000 new applications for the benefit, which was the highest number since PIP was first introduced in 2013, BirminghamLive reports.
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The Department for Work and Pensions has explained that those who are on PIP may qualify for further assistance with everyday finances in the form of the following discounts and freebies.
From discounts on travel, to assistance with bills, this is the additional help you could be entitled to whilst receiving PIP:
- Council tax discount (up to 100 per cent, apply via your local authority)
- Free bus pass - contact your local council to find out who issues disabled bus passes in your area as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme
- Blue Badge for parking (costs up to £10 in England and £20 in Scotland. It’s free in Wales.)
- Motability scheme (where you trade some or all of enhanced mobility component towards the cost of a vehicle)
-
Up to a third off rail tickets with a Disabled Person's Railcard
- Winter Fuel Payment - any PIP claimants who were born on or before September 26, 1955, would qualify for this £100 to £300 payment designed to help older people with their heating bills. Those on State Pension and some other benefits get paid it automatically, others have to make a claim by calling 0800 731 0160
- Free prescriptions - depends on specific medical condition
- Warm Home Discount Scheme - those on PIP should qualify for the £140 discount on electricity bills (or on your gas bill instead if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity)
- Vehicle tax exemption - available to those on the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP
- WaterSure scheme to cap your water bills
- Disabled Facilities Grant to modify your home - up to £30,000 is available in England, up to £36,000 in Wales, and up to £25,000 in Northern Ireland. Not available in Scotland
Note that those on PIP do not, however, qualify for the Cold Weather Payment, which is only available to people on income-related benefits.
How to apply for PIP
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is available if:
- you’re 16 or over
- you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- you have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around
- you expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started
Those applying for the first time must also be under State Pension age.
Applicants are assessed to see how difficult they find everyday tasks and getting around, with an amount awarded for each. You can get up to £608.60 a month, which will increase in April to £627.60.
To start your claim, call the helpline on 0800 917 2222 on Monday to Friday, between 8am and 5pm.
You will need to give the following information:
- your contact details, for example telephone number
- your date of birth
- your National Insurance number, if you have one (you can find this on letters about tax, pensions and benefits)
- your bank or building society account number and sort code
- your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
- dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital
- dates for any time you spent abroad for more than four weeks at a time, and the countries you visited
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