Britons who live with a long-term health condition may be able to apply for PIP and boost their income by almost £700 a month.
The benefit supports people who live with a condition that affects their daily life and ability to get around.
Payments are tax-free and are not means tested, meaning they are not affected by a person’s income or savings.
PIP consists of two parts, with a payment for how the condition affects a person’s daily life and a payment for how it affects their mobility.
People who apply for the support are given an assessment to determine if they need the lower or higher level of support.
READ MORE: Dragons’ Den business sold for £12.5million less than 12 months after appearing on show
These are the current weekly rates for the benefit, which is paid every four weeks:
Daily living component
- Standard rate: £68.10
- Enhanced rate: £101.75.
Mobility component
- Standard rate: £26.90
- Enhanced rate: £71.
Who is eligible for PIP?
A person has to be 16 or over to claim PIP and of working age. Their condition must affect their ability to do certain everyday tasks or get around.
There are more than 500 conditions that can qualify a person to receive the benefit, if they expect the condition to affect them for at least another 12 months.
Below are the main categories of qualifying conditions. The number next to each category represents the number of people who claim for that category:
- Haematological Disease – 7,577
- Infectious disease – 10,962
- Malignant disease – 100,863
- Metabolic disease – 4,782
- Psychiatric disorders – 1,206,838
- Neurological disease – 411,887
- Visual disease – 57,180
- Hearing disorders – 34,399
- Cardiovascular disease – 83,568
- Gastrointestinal disease – 29,036
- Diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract -11,770
- Skin disease – 21,375
- Musculoskeletal disease (general) – 649,780
- Musculoskeletal disease (regional) – 387,128
- Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders) – 17,997
- Genitourinary disease – 24,777
- Endocrine disease – 43,288
- Respiratory disease – 136,757
- Multisystem and extremes of age – 1,235
- Diseases of the immune system – 1,081
- Unknown or missing – 10,547.
How can I claim PIP?
A person can start a claim for PIP by calling the PIP new claims phone line on 0800 917 2222, to give some details so they can be sent a form to fill in.
There is also the option to begin a claim by post but this will take longer to process. In this case, the applicant sends a letter to the department and they will be sent a form asking for personal details.
Once this has been filled in and returned, they will receive another form asking about their disability and condition.
A person who wants to begin a claim by post will need to write to:
Personal Independence Payment New Claims
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1AH.
PIP has been replaced in Scotland with Adult Disability Payment. People can apply for this benefit with Social Security Scotland.
For the latest personal finance news, follow us on Twitter at @ExpressMoney_.
