Personal Independence Payment, known as PIP, is the main benefit for adults in England and Wales who face extra living costs because of a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. It is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and it is designed to help with the cost of daily life and getting around, rather than to replace lost earnings.

PIP is one of the most searched-for benefits in the UK, and also one of the most misunderstood. It is not means-tested, it can be claimed whether or not you are working, and it is not the same as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit. This guide explains what PIP is, who can claim it, how much it pays in 2026/27, how the assessment works, and what to do if you disagree with a decision.

What is PIP and what is it for?

PIP can help with extra living costs if you have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition. That is the definition used by GOV.UK. The key point is that PIP is about how your condition affects you day to day, not about the name of your diagnosis. Two people with the same condition can receive very different awards, because the assessment looks at what you can and cannot do, and how much help you need.

You can get PIP even if you are working, have savings, or are getting most other benefits. The money is tax-free, and the amount you receive is not affected by your income or savings. That makes it different from income-based benefits, where earnings and savings can reduce what you are paid.

PIP replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for most adults. You will keep getting DLA if you are under 16, or if you were born on or before 8 April 1948. If you were born after that date, the DWP will invite you to apply for PIP, and you do not need to do anything until the DWP writes to you, unless your circumstances change.

The two parts of PIP

PIP has two parts, and you may receive one part or both, depending on how your condition affects you.

The daily living part is for help with everyday tasks. GOV.UK lists the activities it covers: preparing food, eating and drinking, managing medicines or treatments, washing and bathing, using the toilet, dressing and undressing, reading, managing money, socialising and being around other people, and talking, listening and understanding.

The mobility part is for help with getting around. It covers working out a route and following it, physically moving around, and leaving your home. You do not have to have a physical disability to get the mobility part. You may also be eligible if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, such as anxiety.

Each part is paid at a standard rate or an enhanced rate. The rate depends on how much help you need, measured through a points-based assessment.

How much is PIP in 2026/27?

PIP rates are uprated each April. For the 2026/27 benefit year, which began on 6 April 2026, the weekly rates published by the DWP are:

• Daily living, standard rate: £76.70 a week (£306.80 every four weeks)
• Daily living, enhanced rate: £114.60 a week (£458.40 every four weeks)
• Mobility, standard rate: £30.30 a week (£121.20 every four weeks)
• Mobility, enhanced rate: £80.00 a week (£320.00 every four weeks)

If you receive the enhanced rate of both parts, that is £194.60 a week, or £778.40 every four weeks. PIP is usually paid every four weeks into a bank, building society or credit union account. If your payment date falls on a bank holiday, you will usually be paid before the bank holiday.

These are the rates for 2026/27. They will change again at the next annual uprating, so check GOV.UK for the current figures if you are reading this after April 2027.

Who can claim PIP?

You can get PIP if all of the following apply: you are 16 or over; you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability; you have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around; and you expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started. You must experience difficulty with tasks most of the time, which means you expect to have difficulty on more than half of the days over a 12-month period.

You usually also need to be under State Pension age to make a new PIP claim. If you are over State Pension age, you cannot usually make a new claim for PIP, and you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead. One exception is if you received PIP or Adult Disability Payment in the last 12 months.

There are also residence rules. To apply, you usually need to have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least two of the last three years, and to be living in England or Wales when you apply. If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for Adult Disability Payment instead of PIP. There are different eligibility rules if you are nearing the end of life because of a life-limiting illness, and in that case you may be able to get PIP more quickly and at a higher rate.

If you are not a British citizen, you must normally live in, or show that you intend to settle in, the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, and not be subject to immigration control, unless you are a sponsored immigrant. If you are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

How the points system works

The DWP assesses how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task, it looks at whether you can do it safely, how long it takes you, and whether you need help from a person or extra equipment. Each activity is scored, and the points decide your award.

For each part separately, scoring between 8 and 11 points gives you the standard rate, while 12 points or more gives you the enhanced rate. You need at least 8 points in the daily living part to receive a daily living award, and at least 8 points in the mobility part to receive a mobility award. The two parts are assessed independently, so it is possible to receive the enhanced rate for one part and nothing for the other.

What matters most is evidence of how your condition affects you on a typical day. The form asks about your worst days as well as your best days, and assessors are interested in whether you can complete a task reliably, repeatedly and within a reasonable time. If an activity leaves you exhausted, in pain or at risk, that counts, even if you can manage it once.

How to claim PIP

Most claims start by phone. You call the PIP new claims phone line on 0800 917 2222, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and answer some basic questions about you and your condition. There is a Relay UK service if you cannot hear or speak on the phone, and a British Sign Language video relay service. If you are calling from abroad, the number is +44 191 218 7766. You can also start a claim by post by writing to Freepost DWP PIP 1, with no stamp or postcode needed.

Before you start, it helps to have your contact details, date of birth, National Insurance number, bank or building society account number and sort code, and the name, address and telephone number of your doctor or health worker. You will also be asked about time spent in a care home or hospital, and time spent abroad.

After the phone call, you will be sent a form called “How your disability affects you”. You can usually complete it online, if you applied by phone, or by post. It should be returned within one month, and you should contact the PIP enquiry line if you need more time. Include supporting documents if you have them, for example prescription lists, care plans, or information from your doctor or others involved in your care. Citizens Advice publishes guidance on filling in the form, and its advisers can help you work through it. In some areas, you can make your full application online, depending on your postcode.

The PIP assessment

You may be invited to an assessment with a health professional if more information is needed. The assessor will ask about how your condition affects your daily living and mobility tasks, and about any treatments you have had or will have. They may ask you to do some simple movements to show how you manage some activities. The assessment can take place at an assessment centre, at your home, over the phone or by video call. It usually takes about one hour, and you can have someone else with you, such as a friend or support worker. The audio of your assessment will be recorded.

Not everyone is assessed. If the DWP already has enough information from your form and supporting evidence, it can make a decision without one. If you are assessed, the health professional sends a report to the DWP, and a DWP decision maker uses that report, your form and your evidence to decide your award.

The decision, and what to do if you disagree

You will receive a letter telling you whether you will get PIP. If you are eligible, the letter will also tell you the date of your first payment, how long you will get PIP for, and when and if your claim will be reviewed. A first award lasts between nine months and ten years, depending on whether your needs are likely to change.

If you disagree with a decision, you can challenge it. This is called asking for a mandatory reconsideration. You should ask for this within one month of the decision date, and explain why you think the decision is wrong, ideally with extra evidence. If the decision is not changed, you can appeal to an independent tribunal. The appeal process is run by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and Citizens Advice can help you prepare.

Your award can also be reviewed. If your condition changes, tell the DWP straight away. A review can lead to your award going up, going down, or staying the same, so it is worth getting advice before reporting a change, and keeping copies of everything you send.

PIP in Scotland and Northern Ireland

The rules are not identical across the UK. If you live in Scotland, you apply for Adult Disability Payment, which is run by Social Security Scotland, instead of PIP. If you move from Scotland to England or Wales, you must tell Social Security Scotland and make a new claim for PIP, and you should apply as soon as you move, or your payments could be affected. If you move the other way, you must tell the DWP and apply for Adult Disability Payment. In Northern Ireland, PIP is administered separately, and the claim route is different, so check the local guidance before you apply.

What else PIP can unlock

Getting PIP can open the door to other help. If you get the mobility part, you may be eligible for a Blue Badge, a vehicle tax discount or exemption, and the Motability Scheme if you receive the higher mobility rate. If you get either the daily living or mobility part, you are eligible for a Disabled Persons Railcard, and you may be able to get a discount on Council Tax and local bus travel. Contact your local council to check.

If someone helps to care for you, they may be able to get Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Credit. You may also get a top-up, called a disability premium, if you receive income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Housing Benefit. These extras are one reason why a PIP award matters beyond the weekly payment itself, and why it is worth claiming even if the amount seems small.

The Timms Review and possible changes

PIP is under review. The Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment, co-chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, published an interim report in July 2026, and its final report was expected in autumn 2026. A planned change that would have required four points in a single daily living activity was removed from the 2025 welfare bill, and any change to eligibility is expected to follow the review. That means the rules described in this guide are the rules in force now, but they may change. If you are thinking of claiming, apply under the current rules and check GOV.UK for updates, rather than waiting for a review to finish.

According to DWP figures, around 4.1 million people in England and Wales were entitled to PIP as at 31 July 2026, and just over a third received the highest level of award. That scale explains why PIP is so often in the news, and why delays in assessments and decisions affect so many households.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is describing your best day rather than your typical day. The form is asking how your condition affects you most of the time, so be honest about bad days, and about the help you need even when you manage a task on your own. Another is sending the form with no supporting evidence. A short note from your GP, a care plan, a prescription list or a statement from someone who helps you can make a real difference.

Do not miss the one-month deadline for returning the form, and do not ignore the assessment appointment. If you cannot attend, contact the assessment provider as soon as possible to rearrange. Keep copies of everything, note the dates of calls, and get help early if you are struggling. Citizens Advice, local welfare rights services and disability charities can help you fill in the form, prepare for the assessment and challenge a decision.

PIP is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your own award depends on your circumstances and the DWP’s assessment, so check GOV.UK or speak to an advice service before relying on any figure in this guide.