Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Overview
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64. PIP started to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from 8/4/13.
To qualify for PIP, you must:
- be aged 16 to 64
- have a long-term health condition or disability and difficulties with activities related to ‘daily living’ and or mobility
- be in Great Britain when you claim – there are some exceptions, eg members and family members of the Armed Forces
- have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years
- be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
- not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)
There are some exceptions to these conditions if you’re living or coming from another EU country or Switzerland. You can get PIP whether you’re in work or not.
Your disability or health conditions
You must have a long-term health condition or disability and have difficulties with activities related to ‘daily living’ and or mobility.
You must have had these difficulties for 3 months and expect them to last for at least 9 months. If you’re terminally ill (ie not expected to live more than 6 months), you don’t need to have had these difficulties for 3 months.
Daily living difficulties
You may get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with things like:
- preparing or eating food
- washing, bathing and using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- reading and communicating
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- engaging with other people
Mobility difficulties
You may get the mobility component of PIP if you need help with going out or moving around.
Assessments
Call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make a new PIP claim if you’re in Great Britain. You will be sent a form “How your condition affects you”; complete this form and return it to the DWP (National Mind can supply a booklet entitled “Applying for Personal Independence Payment”). You need to be assessed to work out what level of help you get. The DWP uses an independent healthcare professional to assess your claim, and makes the decision about your claim based on the results of the assessment, your application and any supporting evidence you include. You may be asked to attend a face-to-face consultation – you’ll get a letter explaining why and where to go.
You’ll be asked for information like:
- contact details and date of birth
- National Insurance number
- bank or building society details
- doctor or health worker’s name
- details of any time you’ve spent abroad, or in a care home or hospital
Someone else can call on your behalf, but you’ll need to be with them when they call. You can also write asking for a form to send the above information by post (this can delay the decision on your claim).
Attendance Allowance (AA)
If you are 65 or over, you may be entitled to Attendance Allowance (AA) to help with personal care if you are physically or mentally disabled.
Contact details
DWP – PIP claims
Phone: 0800 917 2222 (textphone 0800 917 7777)
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm
Website: htpps://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
Address: Personal Independence Payment New Claims, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton WV99 1AH
PIP Helpline
phone: 0345 850 3322 (textphone 0345 601 6677)
opening times: Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm
website: http://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA Helpline
phone 0345 712 3456 (textphone 0345 722 4433), Mon to Fri 8 am to 6 pm
Postal address for DLA Adult (aged 16 and over)
Disability Benefits Centre, Warbreck House, Warbreck Hill, Blackpool FY2 0YE
e-mail: dc[email protected] (if you’re 16 or over)
website: https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit
Postal address for DLA Child (under 16)
Disability Benefit Centre 4, Post Handling Site
Wolverhampton WV99 1BY
e-mail: midlands[email protected] (if you’re under 16)
website: https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit/overview
Attendance allowance (AA)
AA Helpline
phone: 0345 605 6055 (textphone 0345 604 5312), Mon to Fri 8 am to 6 pm
Postal Address for AA
Attendance Allowance Service Centre, Warbreck House, Warbreck Hill, Blackpool FY2 0YE
e-mail: [email protected]
website: htpps://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/what-youll-get
Overview
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64. PIP started to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from 8/4/13.
To qualify for PIP, you must:
- be aged 16 to 64
- have a long-term health condition or disability and difficulties with activities related to ‘daily living’ and or mobility
- be in Great Britain when you claim – there are some exceptions, eg members and family members of the Armed Forces
- have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years
- be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
- not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)
There are some exceptions to these conditions if you’re living or coming from another EU country or Switzerland. You can get PIP whether you’re in work or not.
Your disability or health conditions
You must have a long-term health condition or disability and have difficulties with activities related to ‘daily living’ and or mobility.
You must have had these difficulties for 3 months and expect them to last for at least 9 months. If you’re terminally ill (ie not expected to live more than 6 months), you don’t need to have had these difficulties for 3 months.
Daily living difficulties
You may get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with things like:
- preparing or eating food
- washing, bathing and using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- reading and communicating
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- engaging with other people
Mobility difficulties
You may get the mobility component of PIP if you need help with going out or moving around.
Assessments
Call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make a new PIP claim if you’re in Great Britain. You will be sent a form “How your condition affects you”; complete this form and return it to the DWP (National Mind can supply a booklet entitled “Applying for Personal Independence Payment”). You need to be assessed to work out what level of help you get. The DWP uses an independent healthcare professional to assess your claim, and makes the decision about your claim based on the results of the assessment, your application and any supporting evidence you include. You may be asked to attend a face-to-face consultation – you’ll get a letter explaining why and where to go.
You’ll be asked for information like:
- contact details and date of birth
- National Insurance number
- bank or building society details
- doctor or health worker’s name
- details of any time you’ve spent abroad, or in a care home or hospital
Someone else can call on your behalf, but you’ll need to be with them when they call. You can also write asking for a form to send the above information by post (this can delay the decision on your claim).
Attendance Allowance (AA)
If you are 65 or over, you may be entitled to Attendance Allowance (AA) to help with personal care if you are physically or mentally disabled.
Contact details
DWP – PIP claims
Phone: 0800 917 2222 (textphone 0800 917 7777)
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm
Website: htpps://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
Address: Personal Independence Payment New Claims, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton WV99 1AH
PIP Helpline
phone: 0345 850 3322 (textphone 0345 601 6677)
opening times: Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm
website: http://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA Helpline
phone 0345 712 3456 (textphone 0345 722 4433), Mon to Fri 8 am to 6 pm
Postal address for DLA Adult (aged 16 and over)
Disability Benefits Centre, Warbreck House, Warbreck Hill, Blackpool FY2 0YE
e-mail: dc[email protected] (if you’re 16 or over)
website: https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit
Postal address for DLA Child (under 16)
Disability Benefit Centre 4, Post Handling Site
Wolverhampton WV99 1BY
e-mail: midlands[email protected] (if you’re under 16)
website: https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit/overview
Attendance allowance (AA)
AA Helpline
phone: 0345 605 6055 (textphone 0345 604 5312), Mon to Fri 8 am to 6 pm
Postal Address for AA
Attendance Allowance Service Centre, Warbreck House, Warbreck Hill, Blackpool FY2 0YE
e-mail: [email protected]
website: htpps://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/what-youll-get
Contact Details
Phone:
see above
Email:
see above
Website:
www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim
Address:
see above
Other Info
Opening times:
see above
Costs:
Phone calls charged at local rates
Disabled Access:
Directions:
Other information:
Language Line available
Last updated:
16th July 2021
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