People with a number of medical conditions could be entitled to weekly cash from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Musculoskeletal conditions are injuries and disorders that affect the human body’s movement such as in the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs and blood vessels.
If you are over 16 and under State Pension age, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help with such conditions condition. If your ability to work is limited due to your symptoms you could be eligible for "new style" Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), reports the Daily Record. This is a fortnightly payment that can be claimed on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit.
PIP is a benefit delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and helps cover the extra costs you may face if you need help with daily tasks or moving around. The latest figures released by the DWP show that on January 31, 2022 there were 2.9 million people across the UK claiming support through PIP, with just over one in three claimants (35%) receiving the highest level of award.
Overall, there are now 932,579 people across the UK claiming PIP for some form of musculoskeletal condition, which makes up 32.4% of the total number of claimants - currently 2,881,401. Here is a list of the 87 musculoskeletal conditions being supported through PIP:
Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis of Hip
- Osteoarthritis of Knee
- Osteoarthritis of other single joint
- Primary generalised Osteoarthritis
Chronic pain syndrome
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
- Fibromyalgia
- Pain syndromes - Chronic - Other / type not known
Inflammatory arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Arthritis - Psoriatic
- Arthritis - Reactive
- Inflammatory arthritis - Other / type not known
- Juvenile chronic arthritis (Still's disease)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Crystal deposition disorders
- Crystal deposition disorders - Other / type not known
- Gout
- Pseudogout
Osteonecrosis and osteochondritis
- Osteochondritis
- Osteonecrosis
Metabolic and endocrine disorders
- Osteomalacia
- Osteoporosis
- Other metabolic and endocrine disorders of musculoskeletal system
- Paget's disease
- Rickets
Genetic disorders, dysplasias and malformations
- Achondroplasia
- Epiphyseal dysplasia - multiple
- Genetic disorders, dysplasias and malformations - Other / type not known
- Hereditary multiple exostosis (diaphyseal aclasis)
- Hypermobility syndrome
- Marfan's syndrome
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
Benign tumours of bone
- Tumours of bone - benign
Fracture complications
- Compartment syndrome (Volkmann's ischaemia)
- Fracture complications - Other / type not known
- Sudek's atrophy
Other generalised musculoskeletal conditions
- Generalised musculoskeletal disease - Other / type not known
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- Musculoskeletal conditions - regional
Other generalised musculoskeletal conditions
- Generalised musculoskeletal disease - Other / type not known
Shoulder disorders
- Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
- Rotator cuff disorder
- Shoulder disorders - Other / type not known
- Shoulder instability
Elbow disorders
- Elbow disorders - Other / type not known
- Golfers elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Wrist and hand disorders
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Dupuytrens contracture
- Tendon lesions
- Tenosynovitis
- Wrist and hand disorders - Other / type not known
Neck disorders
- Cervical disc lesion
- Cervical spondylosis
- Neck disorders - Other / type not known
- Whiplash injury
Non specific back pain
- Back pain - Non specific (mechanical)
Specific back pain
- Back pain - Specific - Other / type not known
- Kyphosis
- Lumbar disc lesion
- Lumbar spondylosis (OA spine)
- Schuermann's disease
- Scoliosis
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
Hip disorders
- Dislocation of the hip - congenital
- Hip disorders - Other / type not known
- Perthes disease
- Slipped upper femoral epiphysis
Knee disorders
- Bursitis
- Chondromalacia patellae
- Knee disorders - Other / type not known
- Ligamentous instability of knee
- Meniscal lesions
- Osgood schlatters disease
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Patellar dislocation - Recurrent
Ankle and foot disorders
- Ankle and foot disorders - Other / type not known
- Club foot (talipes)
- Fore foot pain (Metatarsalgia)
- Hallux valgus /rigidus
Amputations
- Amputation - Lower limb(s)
- Amputation - Upper limb(s)
- Amputations - Upper & Lower limb/s
Injuries/fracture/Dislocation
- Abdomen - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
- Lower limb - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
- Multiple - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation
- Pelvis - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
- Spine - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
- Thorax - Injury/Fracture/Dislocation of
- Upper limb - Injury/Fracture/Dislocation of
Other regional musculoskeletal disease
- Musculoskeletal disease - Regional / Localised - Other / type not known
Who is eligible for PIP?
ou do not need to have a carer or have someone helping you to qualify for PIP and you could receive between £24.45 and £156.90 every week - as PIP is paid every four weeks this amounts to between £97.80 and £627.60 every pay period.
PIP is not taxable or means-tested and you don’t need to have paid National Insurance contributions to get it.
You can also claim whether you’re in work or not.
It doesn’t matter if you have any savings or if you are receiving any other benefits. In fact an award for PIP can lead to higher levels of certain benefits being paid and also open the door to other benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance and a Council Tax Reduction.
Find out if you can claim PIP by looking at the criteria set out by the DWP below.
You do not need to have worked or paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for PIP, and it does not matter what your income is, if you have any savings or if you’re in or out of work.
You must also have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for three months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months
The DWP will judge the eligibility of your PIP claim on a period of 12 months, looking back for three months and forward for nine months - they must consider if your illness changes over time.
These are not the only medical conditions people are able to claim PIP or new style ESA for. You can find out more here. You can make a new PIP claim by contacting the DWP, you’ll find all the information you need to apply on the gov.uk website here.
