The UK government has unveiled proposals to drastically cut the number of people eligible for the Personal Independent Payment (PIP).
Currently, recipients receive either a standard rate of £72.65 weekly or an enhanced rate of £108.55, based on their disability severity. Additionally, there's an option for a supplementary mobility payment of £28.70 or £75.75 at the enhanced level each week.
Eligibility for PIP is determined through various tests assessing basic task abilities such as self-feeding, dressing, or washing, with scores reflecting the impact of one's condition on these activities.
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At present, qualification for PIP can be achieved with a relatively minor impairment across several tests. However, future claimants will need to demonstrate a significant impairment in at least one test and score a minimum of four points on that test, reports Wales Online.
After a decade since its introduction, the government argues that PIP requires modernisation. Over 3 million people in the UK currently benefit from PIP, costing £21.8 billion. The latest figures for Northern Ireland suggest around 218,000 people here receive PIP.
The government warns that without reform, the number of PIP beneficiaries could reach 4.2 million in four years, with costs soaring to £34.1 billion—an increase they deem "unsustainable" and outpacing the actual growth in disability prevalence.
The statement clarifies: "It is over a decade since PIP was introduced, during which time there have been significant shifts in the nature of long-term conditions and disability, as well as changes in wider society and the workplace. People reporting mental health or neurodiverse conditions as their primary condition have increased more rapidly than those reporting other conditions, and increases in disability have been more marked among younger adults than older people, although older working-age people are still more likely to be disabled."
To qualify for future Personal Independence Payment (PIP) support, claimants will need to demonstrate a higher level of impairment in at least one area, scoring a minimum of four points. The below are examples of what would enable you to qualify for the personal independent payments (PIP) by category.
Preparing food
Being unable to prepare a meal in an oven but able to use a microwave scores two points so will no longer, on its own, qualify a person for a PIP payment. Instead, they will need to be able to show they "need supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal"
Eating and drinking
Regarding eating and drinking, simply needing supervision, help with cutting up food, or the use of an aid, falls short of the new PIP threshold. A person must instead establish they "need prompting to be able to take nutrition" or cannot "convey food or drink to their mouth" to be considered.
Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
To secure four points, an individual must demonstrate that they "require supervision, prompting, or assistance to manage therapy that takes more than three and a half hours a week but no more than seven hours a week."
Washing and bathing
Only two points are awarded for needing supervision to wash or bathe on a PIP test, as is the case for needing help to wash hair or body below the waist. Assistance to get in or out of a bath or shower also only earns three points.
To earn four points, an individual must prove that they "need assistance to wash their body between the shoulders and waist."
Managing toilet needs or incontinence
Needing supervision to use the toilet, which earns two points, will no longer qualify a person for PIP on its own. Instead, they must demonstrate that they require assistance (four points).
Dressing and undressing
A person who needs to be reminded to dress or needs help putting on trousers or a skirt (two points) will no longer qualify. Instead, a person must demonstrate that they need help dressing or undressing their upper body.
Communicating verbally
Using a hearing aid only earns two points. To earn four points, a person would need to demonstrate that they "require communication support to express or understand complex verbal information."
Reading
To earn four points, a person must demonstrate that they need prompting to read or understand basic written information or cannot read or understand signs at all.
Engaging with others face-to-face
Needing prompting to engage with others only scores two points. Instead, someone would need to demonstrate they "need social support to be able to engage with other people".
Making budgeting decisions
When it comes to making budgeting decisions, needing help with complex budgeting will no longer suffice (two points). To score four points, someone would have to prove they need "prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions".
If individuals find they no longer qualify for PIP, the government is considering how best to assist them.
The benefits green paper states: "We want to ensure that anyone in receipt of PIP now who would lose entitlement when they are reassessed under the new eligibility criteria, has their health and eligible care needs met.
"Everyone should have their healthcare needs met by the NHS which is why we are investing almost £26 billion to fix the health and care system and we are investing an additional £889 million in General Practice in 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS and bring back the family doctor".
"DWP will work with DHSC to ensure that existing people who claim PIP who may no longer be entitled to the benefit following an award review under new eligibility rules have their health and eligible care needs met, in addition to being able to access our support conversation and employment support if they want to."
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