The first thing to understand about the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims process is that awards are based on how your condition, long-term illness or disability affects you, not the actual condition itself. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) makes this distinction clear in the 2023/24 edition of the online PIP Handbook.
The guidance on GOV.UK explains: “As the assessment principles consider the impact of a claimant’s condition on their ability to live independently and not the condition itself, claimants with the same condition may get different outcomes. The outcome is based on an independent assessment and all available evidence.”
The second thing to understand is that Adult Disability Payment (ADP) has replaced all new claims for PIP for people living in Scotland. The devolved benefit is delivered by Social Security Scotland, and while it follows the same payment award rates and largely similar eligibility guidelines, the information in this article should only be viewed as a guide - full details on ADP can be found here.
When you are assessed for PIP, a health professional will look at your ability to carry out a range of daily living activities and mobility activities. The health professional will consider whether your health condition or disability limits your ability to carry out the activities and how much help you need with them.
The health professional will then write a report for the PIP decision maker who will use all the evidence and decide whether you are entitled to the benefit, at what rate and for how long.
PIP is made up of two parts, the daily living component and the mobility component. Each component can be paid at either the standard rate or the enhanced rate.
The DWP PIP decision maker will determine whether your ability to carry out the component is limited, in which case you will be paid the standard rate, or if it is severely limited, in which case you will receive the enhanced rate.
For those applying for ADP in Scotland, independent health professionals are not used, the entire application process is conducted in-house by Social Security Scotland.
Daily living component
You might get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with:
- eating, drinking or preparing food
- washing, bathing and using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- reading and communicating
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- socialising and being around other people
Mobility component
You might get the mobility component of PIP if you need help with:
- working out a route and following it
- physically moving around
- leaving your home
The guidance on GOV.UK states: You do not have to have a physical disability to get the mobility part. You might also be eligible if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, like anxiety.
How difficulty with tasks is assessed
The DWP will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks, this is similar to the guidance on ADP for those in Scotland.
For each task DWP will 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
The descriptors
If you’ve got this far you should by now understand the basics of how PIP is awarded. The next part looks at descriptors, how they are scored and how that determines the pay award.
Your ability to carry out each activity is measured against a list of standard statements describing what you can or cannot do - this is largely the same for ADP, but laid out differently with images and examples on the application form to help people understand the question being asked - you can look at this (and download it) on mygov.scot here.
These are known as the descriptors. The health professional will advise the DWP which descriptor applies to you for each activity.
The Citizen’s Advice website has a whole section dedicated to this along with a downloadable guide to all the points awarded for each response - you can view this here.
An example they use is that there are six descriptors for ‘Dressing and undressing’, ranging from ‘Can dress and undress unaided’ to ‘Cannot dress or undress at all’.
Each descriptor carries a points score ranging from 0 to 12.
Using aids or appliances
Your ability to carry out the daily living activities and the mobility activities will be assessed as if you were wearing or using any aids or appliances that it would be reasonable for you to use.
This applies whether or not you normally use those aids or appliances. However, if you use or need aids and appliances, this can help you to score more points - find out more here.
Citizens Advice explains: “An aid is any item which improves, provides or replaces impaired physical or mental function. It doesn’t have to be specially designed as a disability aid. Examples include a stool you need to sit on when cooking, or a walking stick to help you stand.”
Daily living scores
Citizens Advice explains that to get the daily living component of PIP, you must have a physical or mental condition that limits your ability to carry out some or all of the activities below.
The maximum amount of PIP points that can be awarded for that question are shown.
Daily living activity:
- Preparing food - 8
- Taking medication - 10
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition - 8
- Washing and bathing - 8
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence - 8
- Dressing and undressing - 8
- Communicating verbally - 12
- Reading and understanding symbols and words - 8
- Engaging with other people face to face - 8
- Making budgeting decisions - 6
Mobility scores
Citizens' Advice explains that to get the mobility component of PIP, you must have a physical or mental condition that limits your ability to carry out some or all of the activities listed below.
The maximum amount of PIP points that can be awarded for that question are shown.
Mobility activity:
- planning and following journeys - 12
- moving around - 12
Points and payment rates
After answering all the daily living activity questions:
- If you get between 8 and 11 points in total - you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP
- If you get at least 12 points in total - you will be awarded the e nhanced rate of PIP
After answering all the mobility activity questions:
- If you get between 8 and 11 points in total - you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP
- If you get at least 12 points in total - you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP
The ADP points scoring scale works the same way as PIP.
PIP and ADP payment rates
ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP. Both benefits are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account.
You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your award level:
Daily living
- Standard rate: £68.10
- Enhanced rate: £101.75
Mobility
- Standard rate: £26.90
- Enhanced rate: £71.00
This means a successful claim for PIP or ADP is worth between £26.90 and £172.75 each week in additional financial support. As the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £107.60 and £691 every payment period.
Find out more about PIP on GOV.UK here.
Find out more about Adult Disability Payment on mygov.scot here.
To keep up to date with the latest PIP or ADP news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, follow us on Twitter @Record_Money, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out Monday to Friday - sign up here.
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