If you have an illness, disability or mental health condition, you may be able to claim PIP (Personal Independence Payment) allowance. We explain who can claim PIP allowance and what the latest rates are.
Almost 3.4 million people in the UK claim PIP allowance, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
In this article, we outline the following:
- PIP allowance rates in August and September 2024?
- Who can claim PIP allowance?
- How can I claim PIP allowance?
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PIP allowance rates in August and September 2024
There are two components to the PIP allowance: a daily living component, which you can claim if you need help with everyday tasks, and a mobility component, which you can claim if you struggle to move around.
The PIP allowance rate you may be entitled to depends on whether you’re eligible for the daily living or the mobility components of the DWP assessment.
For the daily living component:
- The lower rate is £72.65 a week
- The higher rate is £108.55 a week
For the mobility component:
- The lower rate is £28.70 a week
- The higher rate is £75.75 a week
It means you can claim up to a maximum of £184.30 a week – if you receive both the daily living and mobility parts of PIP at the higher rate.
PIP allowance is usually paid every four weeks, and is not subject to tax.
Who can claim PIP allowance?
To be eligible to claim PIP, you’ll need to be aged 16 or older but under state pension age, and have a long-term disability, injury or mental health condition.
According to the DWP, you may qualify for the daily living component of PIP allowance if, due to a disability, illness or mental health condition, you find the following difficult:
- Preparing food
- Eating and drinking
- Managing medicines or treatments
- Washing and bathing
- Going to the toilet
- Getting dressed and undressed
- Reading
- Managing your finances
- Socialising and being around others
- Talking, listening and understanding
The DWP also says you might qualify for the mobility component of PIP allowance if you struggle with the following:
- Working out a route and following it
- Physically moving around
- Leaving your home
Those eligible to claim the mobility part of PIP allowance are not limited to those with a physical disability. For example, you may have a cognitive condition that makes it difficult to get around.
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How to claim PIP allowance
You can start a new claim either online, by phone, or by post.
To apply online, you’ll just need your national insurance number, email address and phone number. Head to the government website to get started. You’ll first be prompted to check you’re eligible.
To apply by phone, call 0800 917 2222. You’ll need the following information to hand before you do so, according to the government website:
- Your contact information
- Your date of birth
- Your national insurance number, if you’ve got one
- Your bank account number and sort code
- Your doctor’s name, address and telephone number
- Dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in care or in a hospital
- Dates for any trips abroad that were longer than four weeks at a time, along with which countries you visited
It takes longer to get a decision when you apply by post than online or over the phone. However, if you still wish to do so, send a letter to Personal Independence Payment New Claims.
You’ll be sent a form asking for your personal information, such as your address and your age. Fill in and return the form.
You’ll then be sent a form that asks about your disability or condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check how much PIP I am due for my condition?
The amount you can claim does not vary for specific conditions; instead, the amount you get will depend on the extent to which your condition affects your daily life or mobility.
How long you receive PIP allowance for will depend on your personal circ*mstances and assessment. Normally, you’ll be awarded PIP for a fixed period of time, for example three years.
However, in some cases, claimants can get an “indefinite award” of PIP allowance. This means the DWP will review your case every ten years to determine whether or not you will continue to receive the benefit, and how much you’ll get.
Is PIP allowance means tested?
PIP allowance is based on your level of need, not income or national insurance contributions.
That means PIP allowance is not means tested. So it doesn’t matter what your current income or savings are, and you can spend it on whatever will make your life easier.
How much PIP can you get for terminal illness?
If you’re terminally ill, you’ll generally receive PIP allowance automatically. Your application will also be fast-tracked by the DWP, meaning you won’t need to deal with as much paperwork, and you’re unlikely to need a meeting to determine your eligibility.
If you have a terminal illness, you’ll automatically get the higher rate of the daily living component of PIP allowance. This is £108.55 a week. If your illness affects your mobility, you may also receive the mobility component of up to £75.75 a week. This means you could get the total £184.30 a week.
How much is enhanced mobility PIP?
If you have issues with mobility, you may be able to claim the mobility component of PIP allowance, which is £28.70 a week for the lower rate, or £75.75 a week for the higher rate.
How much is PIP for Crohn’s disease?
Having Crohn’s disease or another inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis could qualify you to receive the daily living or mobility component of PIP allowance.
However, you’ll need to prove that your illness affects your daily life, or your ability to be mobile. The government provides a helpful list of ways that your life can be affected by a disability in order to receive PIP.
When making a claim, it’s important to spell out the ways featured on the list that affect you personally due to your Crohn’s disease and to give examples.
If successful with a PIP allowance claim, you could receive either the daily living or mobility parts of PIP, or even both. This means you could potentially get up to £184.30 a week in PIP payments, depending on the severity of your illness and to what extent it affects your life.
The charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK provides a thorough outline of how to apply for PIP allowance with Crohn’s or other inflammatory bowel conditions, along with tips and things to watch out for.
How much is PIP for autism?
Autism is one of the conditions that can qualify you to receive PIP allowance.
If you can show to the DWP that autism affects either your daily living or your mobility, or both, you could receive up to the maximum PIP allowance amount of £184.30 a week, depending on the severity of your condition and how much it affects your life.
Refer to the list above to see the ways in which the DWP requires your life or mobility to be affected in order to receive PIP allowance.
How much is PIP for depression?
You may be able to claim PIP allowance for depression if it affects your daily life or mobility.
Research from the Benefits and Work website revealed that people with mixed anxiety/depression disorders have a 49.6% chance of being awarded PIP allowance and for generalised anxiety disorder it’s 42.7%.
You could claim up to a maximum of £184.30 a week, but you may receive less, depending on the areas of your life which are affected by your depression.
How much is PIP for deafness and blindness?
Due to the severe impact on daily life and mobility that both deafness and blindness can have, applicants for PIP with these disabilities have a strong chance of being awarded the maximum amount of PIP each week of £184.30.
Find out more about ESA and how to apply on the government website.
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