The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that 5.6 million people across the UK are receiving financial support through Universal Credit, a benefit intended to help those out of work or on a low income with daily living costs.
The statistics from January showed a reduction of 65,000 claimants from October 2021 and also revealed that 4.8 million households across the country were receiving Universal Credit payments in November - down 120,000 from August.
That figure is expected to rise this year after changes to the taper rate and work allowance rule in November now means that an estimated 500,000 more people may be eligible for support through Universal Credit. However, many new and existing benefit claimants might not be aware that they could also be entitled to additional support on top of their current claim through Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
PIP is a benefit for those over 16 and under State Pension age, that can help with daily living costs and mobility needs as the result of a long-term illness, disability or mental health condition - and it could be worth hundreds of pounds every month.
There are more than 2.8 million people in the UK receiving financial support of between £94.80 and £608.60 every four weeks through PIP.
You don’t need to have worked or paid National Insurance to qualify for PIP. It isn’t means-tested either, so it doesn’t matter what your income is, how much you have in savings, or whether you're currently employed.
The biggest misconception about PIP is that the DWP will only award the benefit to people with outwardly visible physical, long-term health conditions or disabilities.
In fact, PIP is a benefit aimed at providing support for people with an ever-evolving list of 'hidden' conditions, including stress, anxiety and depression.
To be eligible for PIP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:
-
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
-
expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
If you have been struggling with your physical or mental health since lockdown first began in March 2020, it may be worthwhile looking into claiming extra support through PIP.
Below is our quick guide to PIP including what it is, who is eligible, how much you could get each week and how you are assessed.
We also have a dedicated section on the Daily Record website which offers help in understanding the process from start to finish and includes questions on the form, what happens during an assessment and a comprehensive breakdown of the questions you will need to answer - these and more can be found here.
What is PIP?
PIP is a benefit which is gradually replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
If you need extra help because of an illness, disability or mental health condition you could be eligible for PIP.
You could receive between £23.70 and £152.15 each week if you are aged 16 or over and have not reached State Pension age.
You will be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get and your rate will be reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support.
Who is eligible for PIP?
In addition to what we have outlined above if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP:
- preparing, cooking or eating food
- managing your medication
- washing, bathing or using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- engaging and communicating with other people
- reading and understanding written information
- making decisions about money
- planning a journey or following a route
- moving around outside the home
There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the GOV.UK website here.
The DWP will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they’ll look at:
- 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
How is PIP paid?
PIP is usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly.
PIP will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account.
What are the PIP payment rates?
You will need an assessment to work out the level of financial help you will receive and your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support.
PIP is made up of two components:
-
Daily living
-
Mobility
Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
-
Standard rate: £60.00
-
Enhanced rate: £89.60
Mobility
-
Standard rate: £23.70
-
Enhanced rate: £62.55
How you are assessed
You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need.
Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware that there is no choice here, it's up to the health professional and DWP.
You can find out more about PIP assessments here.
How do you make a claim for PIP?
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.
Before you call, you will need:
-
your contact details
-
your date of birth
-
your National Insurance number - this is 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 abroad, in a care home or hospital
Once you have contacted the DWP, they will send you a document to complete which consists of 14 questions. This includes space for any additional information you feel is relevant to your claim.
The questions focus on how your condition affects you, so put as much detail in as you can to help the assessor understand your physical or mental health needs.
If you have difficulty filling in your form or understanding the questions, contact your local council and ask for help or Citizens Advice Scotland.
We have a breakdown of all 14 questions here and you can take an anonymous self-test online at Benefits and Work to see how many points you would be awarded for each response.
There is also an online PIP toolkit with examples of all the questions to help you answer fully with the most relevant information, find out more about this here.
Even if you don't qualify for financial support, you could be eligible for a National Entitlement Travel Card, which offers free or reduced travel across Scotland on most public transport links.
For more information about PIP, visit GOV.UK here.
Get the latest money-saving and benefits news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our weekly Money newsletter here.
