Personal Independence Payment 2026: Eligibility, Rates, How to Claim and What the Reforms Mean

What Personal Independence Payment Is and Who It Is For

Personal Independence Payment is a non-means-tested, non-taxable benefit paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to working-age adults with a long-term disability or health condition. It replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for new working-age claimants from April 2013 and the migration of existing DLA claimants to PIP was completed in 2019. PIP is administered in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland operates its own equivalent, Adult Disability Payment (ADP), administered by Social Security Scotland.

PIP is not means-tested - it is paid regardless of income, savings, or whether the claimant is in work. It is intended to contribute to the extra costs associated with living with a disability or long-term health condition, not to replace lost earnings. DWP guidance makes clear that PIP assesses how a condition affects daily functioning, not the condition itself - two people with the same diagnosis may receive different PIP awards depending on how their condition affects their ability to carry out specific activities.

Eligibility requires that the claimant is aged 16 or over and has not yet reached State Pension age; has a physical or mental health condition or disability; has had difficulties with daily living or mobility for at least 3 months and expects those difficulties to continue for at least 9 months (the 3 plus 9 rule, totalling 12 months); and is habitually resident in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Terminal illness claimants - those with a progressive disease where death can reasonably be expected within 12 months - are fast-tracked and automatically receive the enhanced daily living component without a face-to-face assessment.

PIP Rates for 2026-27

PIP rates increased by 1.7% from April 2026, in line with the September 2025 Consumer Prices Index figure used for the annual uprating of disability benefits under the Social Security Administration Act 1992. The current weekly rates are as follows.

The daily living component is paid at the standard rate of £72.65 per week or the enhanced rate of £108.55 per week. The mobility component is paid at the standard rate of £28.70 per week or the enhanced rate of £75.75 per week. Claimants can receive both components simultaneously and at different rates - for example, enhanced daily living and standard mobility. The maximum combined weekly PIP payment is £184.30 (enhanced daily living plus enhanced mobility), equivalent to £9,583.60 per year.

PIP is paid every four weeks directly into the claimant's bank, building society, or credit union account. It is not taxable and does not affect entitlement to most other means-tested benefits - in many cases it acts as a passport to additional support including the disability premium in means-tested benefits, Carer's Allowance for a carer, and exemption from the benefit cap.

How PIP Is Assessed: The Points System

PIP entitlement is determined through a points-based assessment examining 10 daily living activities and 2 mobility activities. Each activity has a series of descriptors describing different levels of difficulty, with each descriptor carrying a points value from 0 to 12. The assessor selects the descriptor that most accurately reflects the claimant's ability to carry out the activity reliably, repeatedly, safely, and in a reasonable time. The term "reliably" is defined in the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013 to mean to an acceptable standard, repeatedly (as often as reasonably required), within a reasonable time period, and safely (without causing significant pain, distress, or risk of harm).

The 10 daily living activities assessed 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; and making budgeting decisions. The 2 mobility activities are: planning and following journeys; and moving around.

To receive the standard rate of the daily living component, a claimant must score 8 or more points across the daily living activities. To receive the enhanced rate, they must score 12 or more points. The same thresholds apply to the mobility component: 8 points for standard, 12 for enhanced.

The November 2026 Reform: What Is Changing

The Welfare Reform and Work (Disability) Bill 2025, which received Royal Assent in March 2026, introduced the most significant structural change to PIP eligibility since the benefit was created. The change, effective for new claimants from November 2026, requires that at least one daily living activity score a minimum of 4 points before the daily living component can be awarded - regardless of the total points scored across all activities.

Under the existing rules, a claimant can reach the 8-point threshold for standard daily living by accumulating points across multiple activities with no single activity scoring 4 or more points. For example, a claimant scoring 2 points on four different activities would total 8 points and qualify for the standard rate. Under the November 2026 rules, that claimant would not qualify for the daily living component despite the same total score, because no single activity reached 4 points.

The Office for Budget Responsibility assessed in its March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook that this change would reduce PIP daily living awards for new claimants by approximately 370,000 over the forecast period to 2030-31, saving approximately £4.8 billion in benefit expenditure. The OBR notes this estimate carries significant uncertainty given the difficulty of predicting assessment outcomes under the new descriptors.

The National Audit Office published analysis in May 2026 noting that the reform primarily affects claimants with multiple moderate functional limitations across different activities rather than claimants with severe limitations in a single activity. Conditions associated with widespread moderate functional limitation - including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and some mental health conditions - are disproportionately represented in the claimant population affected by the change.

Existing Claimants: What the Reforms Mean for You

The November 2026 rule change applies to new claims made on or after the implementation date. Existing claimants with a current PIP award are protected from the new eligibility rules until their next scheduled award review. At the review, the new rules apply and some claimants whose award was based on accumulating points across multiple activities without reaching 4 points on any single activity may see their daily living component reduced or removed.

DWP must give claimants at least one month's written notice before a planned review. Claimants have the right to provide further evidence before a review decision is made. Where a review results in a reduced or ended award, claimants have the right to request a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month of the decision, and to appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal if the Mandatory Reconsideration is unsuccessful. Citizens Advice and disability charities including Scope and Disability Rights UK provide free support with PIP reviews and appeals.

How to Make a New PIP Claim

New PIP claims are made by telephoning the DWP PIP new claims line on 0800 917 2222 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). The initial call registers the claim and establishes the claim date, which determines the start date of any award. Following the call, DWP sends a "How your disability affects you" form (PIP2) which must be returned within one month. Evidence from healthcare professionals, support workers, and carers can be submitted alongside the form and is weighted heavily by assessors.

Assessment is carried out by an independent assessment provider - currently Capita and Serco hold DWP assessment contracts - either by telephone, video call, or face-to-face consultation. The assessor submits a report to DWP, which makes the final decision. DWP statistics show the average time from claim to decision was 16 weeks in Q1 2026, with significant regional variation.

Claimants who disagree with a PIP decision should first request a Mandatory Reconsideration, then appeal to the Tribunal if still dissatisfied. DWP statistics for 2025 show that 68% of PIP appeals heard by the Tribunal are decided in the claimant's favour - a figure that reflects both the complexity of the assessment process and the value of submitting comprehensive evidence at every stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the PIP rates for 2026-27?

From April 2026, PIP daily living is paid at £72.65 per week (standard) or £108.55 per week (enhanced). Mobility is paid at £28.70 per week (standard) or £75.75 per week (enhanced). The maximum combined weekly award is £184.30. Rates increased by 1.7% from April 2026 in line with September 2025 CPI.

What is changing with PIP from November 2026?

From November 2026, new claimants must score at least 4 points on a single daily living activity to qualify for the daily living component. Currently, claimants can reach the 8-point threshold by accumulating smaller scores across multiple activities. Existing claimants keep their current award until their next scheduled review, at which point the new rules apply.

Can I claim PIP if I am working?

Yes. PIP is not means-tested and is not affected by employment status or earnings. It is paid to recognise the extra costs of disability or long-term health conditions, not to replace income. Being in work, regardless of hours or earnings, does not reduce or affect PIP entitlement.

What percentage of PIP appeals are successful?

DWP Tribunal statistics for 2025 show that 68% of PIP appeals heard by the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal were decided in the claimant's favour. This underlines the importance of submitting comprehensive evidence at the initial claim and Mandatory Reconsideration stages, and of appealing decisions where the claimant believes the assessment did not accurately reflect their functional limitations.

How long does a PIP claim take in 2026?

The DWP target for PIP new claim decisions is 12 weeks. The actual average in Q1 2026 was 16 weeks from claim registration to decision. Processing times vary by region and assessment provider. Claimants in financial hardship while waiting for a PIP decision can apply for an advance payment or contact their local authority about emergency support.