Who can get personal independence payment

You can qualify for PIP if:1ss77(2) and (3) and 83 WRA 2012; Part 6 SS(PIP) Regs

•you are aged 16 or over and, in most cases, under pension age; and
•you satisfy certain UK residence and presence conditions and are not a ‘person subject to immigration control’. See CPAG’s Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook for details; and
•you satisfy the disability conditions (see below) for the daily living component, the mobility component or both; and
•you satisfy the ‘required period condition’, which means that you have met the disability conditions for at least three months and are expected to continue to meet them for a further nine months. This condition does not apply if you are terminally ill.

 

1     ss77(2) and (3) and 83 WRA 2012; Part 6 SS(PIP) Regs »

Disability conditions

In addition to satisfying the basic conditions of entitlement, you qualify for a component of PIP if your ability to undertake either ‘daily living activities’ or ‘mobility activities’ is limited by your mental or physical condition (for the standard rate), or it is severely limited by your mental or physical condition (for the enhanced rate).1ss78 and 79 WRA 2012 Your ability is assessed by a points-based test which considers how your mental or physical condition affects your ability to undertake specific activities.

The relevant ‘daily living activities’ are:

•preparing food;
•taking nutrition;
•managing therapy or monitoring a health condition;
•washing and bathing;
•managing toilet needs or incontinence;
•dressing and undressing;
•communicating verbally;
•reading and understanding signs, symbols and words;
•engaging with other people face to face;
•making budgeting decisions.

The relevant ‘mobility activities’ are:

•planning and following journeys;
•moving around.

Under each of the activities, there is a list of statements (called ‘descriptors’) which describe different difficulties or types of help needed with the activity. Each descriptor has a points score, and you are awarded one descriptor for each activity. Your entitlement to a component is assessed by:2Regs 5 and 6 SS(PIP) Regs

•adding together the descriptors that you satisfy for each activity relevant to that component; and
•comparing your total score with a ‘threshold’ for entitlement to the standard or enhanced rates of the component. The threshold is eight points for the standard rate and 12 points for the enhanced rate.

You are only assessed as being able to undertake an activity at a level described by the descriptor if you can complete it ‘reliably’. This means that you are only awarded a particular descriptor (rather than a higher scoring one) if you can undertake the activity:3Reg 4(2A) and (4) SS(PIP) Regs

•safely – ie, in a way that is unlikely to cause harm to you or anyone else;
•to an acceptable standard;
•repeatedly – ie, as often as it is required;
•within a reasonable time period – ie, not more than twice the maximum time normally taken by someone with no health problems or disability to complete the activity.

 

1     ss78 and 79 WRA 2012 »

2     Regs 5 and 6 SS(PIP) Regs »

3     Reg 4(2A) and (4) SS(PIP) Regs »