You could be eligible for monthly PIP benefit payments - here’s how to check if you qualify

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit that helps people in the UK over the age of 16 and under the State pension age with the extra costs of living with a long term illness, mental health condition or disability.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) awards the money to help with the costs of daily living and outdoor mobility needs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You can find out if you qualify and how much PIP you’re entitled to by taking the self-test on the Benefits and Work website.

The Department for Work and Pensions could award you between £23.60 and £151.40 per week, if you qualify.

How does it work?

The PIP payments usually come every four weeks, and the amount received depends on how the condition affects you, not the condition itself.

The benefit is made up of two parts - a daily living component and a mobility component, you may be able to claim one or both of these depending on your circumstances.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You do not need to be working or have paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for PIP, and it does not matter what your income is as it’s a non-means tested benefit.

Who can claim for PIP?

To qualify, you must have a health condition or disability where you:

have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for three monthsexpect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months

If you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP:

  • Preparing, cooking or eating food
  • Managing your medication
  • Washing, bathing or using the toilet
  • Dressing and undressing
  • Engaging and communicating with other people
  • Reading and understanding written information
  • Making decisions about money
  • Planning a journey or following a route
  • Moving around outside your home
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There are different rules for those who are terminally ill. More information can be found on the GOV.UK website.

How to take the PIP self-test

Benefits and Work offers a free PIP self-test to help you understand whether you would score enough points to receive PIP for each component. The test will also help you understand whether you would qualify for the standard or enhanced rate of each component.

If you score between eight and 11 points for your daily living needs, you will be awarded the standard rate of daily living component.

If you score between eight and 11 points for your mobility needs, you will be awarded the standard rate of the mobility component.

Once you have submitted your email on the self-test paper you will also be sent a copy of your results.

You can take the free test here.