Millions of Brits claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefits, designed to provide financial assistance to people who have extra care or mobility needs, to help with living costs.
Many people who have a disability or long-term health condition qualify for this help from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but do not currently claim it.
Health issues that qualify include certain mental health conditions and neurological disorders. These can entitle you to regular cash payments from the DWP, worth up to £470 a month.
There is also an additional mobility-related payment, adding a further £328 to each PIP instalment.
However, DWP data shows that the majority of PIP applications (59 per cent) are rejected due to not meeting the criteria to claim. It can be tricky to know if you fall into the criteria set out by the department to be eligible for financial support.
Analysis by Homecare shows that most PIP claimants will fall into five categories, though there is no definitive list of conditions that will entitle you to financial help:
Mental health issues
If you live with a mental health condition that affects how you interact with people and the world around you, you could be entitled to PIP. Around a third of all PIP claims are for mental health issues and psychiatric disorders, the most common cause for requiring extra help.
Not everyone will qualify after the assessment, but some examples of conditions that people can claim for include:
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Depression
Bipolar disease
Eating disorders
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Addictions (for example, drug or alcohol misuse)
Respiratory diseases
If you struggle to catch your breath due to an underlying health condition, you should consider applying for some help with your living costs.
The most common respiratory issues that qualify people for PIP are:
Asthma
Cystic fibrosis
Emphysema
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Chronic bronchitis
Musculoskeletal – General
People with musculoskeletal conditions often experience aches, pains and a lack of mobility in their muscles and joints. They could struggle to get around or work full-time due to their conditions. Many who have particularly severe issues will also qualify for the additional mobility PIP award.
Typical muscle- or bone-related issues that people claim PIP for are:
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Fibromyalgia
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Tendonitis
Musculoskeletal – Regional
If your muscular or bone-related issues are specific to a part of your body, it is categorised as a regional musculoskeletal issue. This could mean a problem with almost any part of your body, such as a repetitive strain injury, or broken limb.
Neurological disorders
People who have a condition that affects their brain and nervous system should qualify for help through PIP. These can range from age-related conditions to common neurological disorders like epilepsy.
Other examples of PIP-qualifying neurological disorders are:
Motor neurone disease
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
Alzheimer’s
Narcolepsy
