MILLIONS of people living with a range of health conditions can get personal independence payments (PIP), worth up £9,584 a year.
PIP is available those over 16 and under the state pension age with a long-term illness, disability or mental health condition.
The maximum you can receive from the Government benefit is £184.30 a week.
Crucially, you must also have a health condition or disability where you either have had difficulties with daily living or getting around – or both – for three months, and you expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months (unless you’re terminally ill with less than 12 months to live).
You can also claim PIP if you’re in or out of work and if you’re already getting limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) payments if you claim Universal Credit.
However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) yesterday announced a sweeping package of benefit cuts, designed to tackle the rising costs of the nation’s welfare system.
The changes include stricter eligibility criteria for PIP, which could make it more challenging for millions to qualify.
Despite the announced changes, individuals with conditions such as anxiety will still be able to claim PIP if the impact on their well-being is deemed severe enough, social security minister Sir Stephen Timms confirmed this morning.
When questioned about whether the £5 billion in benefit cuts – largely stemming from tightened PIP eligibility – would prevent those with anxiety from qualifying for support, Sir Stephen said on Times Radio: “No, it depends on the effect the condition has on people’s well-being.
“If you have difficulties performing certain tasks, you receive points during the PIP assessment.
“The number of points awarded determines the level of PIP you are entitled to.”
PIP is made up of two parts and whether you get one or both of these depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You may get the mobility part of PIP if you need help going out or moving around. The weekly rate for this is either £28.70 or £75.75.
On the daily living part of PIP, the weekly rate is either £72.65 or £105.55 – and you could get both elements, so up to £184.30 in total.
You can claim PIP at the same time as other benefits, except the armed forces independence payment.
How are PIP claims changing?
THE Government is consulting on introducing tougher PIP assessments to help curb the soaring costs of the country’s welfare system.
If approved by Parliament, the new rules will tighten eligibility criteria for PIP.
People must get a minimum of four points in at least one of the daily living activities which are used to assess whether you need the benefit to get the payment.
At present, it’s possible to qualify for the benefit with a lower overall score spread across multiple activities.
This means some people who claim PIP could lose the benefit as it will apply to new and existing claims.
There will also be a review of the PIP assessment process.
People with severe conditions will be exempt from undergoing further reassessments.
Which health conditions qualify for PIP?
Psychiatric disorders
People suffering from psychiatric disorders make up 38% of the claims for PIP, according to the DWP.
This can include a range of mental health issues ranging from depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia.
Musculoskeletal disease (general)
General musculoskeletal diseases are pain in the human musculoskeletal system, including the joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves.
Around 19% of claims for PIP are made up of people who have to live with one of these conditions.
Examples of Musculoskeletal diseases include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendinopathy
- Fractures
- Osteoporosis
- Epicondylitis
- Fibromyalgia
Musculoskeletal disease (regional)
Regional musculoskeletal diseases are a group of conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system in a specific part of the body, such as the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle.
An example of this would be gout or rheumatoid arthritis.
If you have a regional musculoskeletal disease, you could also be entitled to claim PIP.
Neurological disease
Some 13% of people claiming PIP suffer from a neurological disease.
These types of conditions typically stem from issues that affect the brain.
Some common types of illnesses within this category include:
- Acute spinal cord injury.
- Alzheimer’s disease.
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Ataxia.
- Bell’s palsy.
- Brain tumors.
- Cerebral aneurysm.
- Epilepsy and seizures.
If you suffer from a neurological disorder and your condition was not listed above it does not mean you are not entitled to claim.
Respiratory disease
If you suffer from a respiratory disease you could also be entitled to claim PIP.
Common types of respiratory disease include:
- Asthma
- Cystic fibrosis,
- Emphysema
- Lung cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pulmonary hypertension
Around 4% of PIP claims go towards helping people with these types of conditions, so it may be worth applying if you suffer from one.
However, it is worth noting that even if you have a respiratory disease it does not mean that you will qualify for PIP.
The DWP will look at a number of factors including how your illness impacts your life and your ability to care for yourself.
How do I apply for PIP?
YOU can make a new PIP claim by calling the DWP on 0800 917 2222.
Alternatively, you can start a claim by sending a letter to Freepost DWP PIP 1 , but it takes longer to get a decision.
Before you start you’ll need:
- Your contact details, for example telephone number
- Your date of birth
- Your National Insurance number
- Your bank or building society account number and sort code
- Your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
- Dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital
- Dates for any time you spent abroad for more than four weeks at a time, and the countries you visited
If you apply by phone or post, you’ll usually get a form called ‘How your disability affects you’ within two weeks.
Fill in the form using the guidance that comes with it, and return it to the address on the form.
You might be invited to an assessment with a health professional if more information is needed. They’ll ask about:
- How your condition affects your daily living and mobility tasks
- Any treatments you’ve had or will have
The assessment can be in person, over the phone or by video call. It usually takes one hour.
You’ll then get a letter that tells you whether you’ll get PIP and the date of your first payment.
