What is the PIP Assessment?

Personal Independence Payment is a new benefit paid to people who live with longterm disabilities or long-term health conditions which affect daily life.

It’s designed to allow those seeking help to talk about how their condition affects them, rather than a diagnosis or medical examination.

It’s not designed to help people whose disability or health condition only affects them in the short term.

PIP is also claimed by people who are terminally ill, for whom different conditions apply.

It’s replacing the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people between 16 and 64.

Assessments are carried out by a health professional who will write a report and send it to the Department for Work and Pensions. At the appointment, the person is asked questions on topics such as the kind of things they have difficulty with, or can’t do at all – for example, walking up steps without help or remembering to go to appointments, how the condition affects them from day to day and what a ‘bad day’ is like.

PIP has a daily living and a mobility component. There are two rates for each of these components – the standard rate and the enhanced rate for people who are more severely affected by their condition, with the ability to receive both or just one of the two.