matrix neurological FACT SHEET

Personal independence payment (pip)

Overview

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64.

You could get between £21.80 and £139.75 a week. The rate depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself.

You’ll need an assessment to work out the level of help you get. Your rate will be regularly reassessed to make sure you’re getting the right support. Your Carer could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

What You’ll Get

PIP is usually paid every 4 weeks. Its tax free and you can get it whether you’re in or out of work.

It’s made up of 2 parts. Whether you get one or both of these depends on how your condition affects you.

Daily Living Component (Weekly Rate)
Standard rate £55.10
Enhanced £82.30 / Mobility Component (Weekly Rate)
Standard rate £21.80
Enhanced £57.45

Terminal Illness

You’ll get the enhanced daily living component if you’re not expected to live more than 6 months. The rate of mobility component depends on your needs.

How you’re paid

All benefits, pension and allowances are paid into your bank account.

Other help

You might not have to pay some or all of your vehicle tax if you qualify for vehicle tax exemption or a 50% reduction.

Change of circumstances

You must contact the PIP enquiry line if: . your personal details change

. you go abroad for more than 13 weeks . the help you need or your condition changes

. you’re imprisoned or held in detention . you go into hospital or a care home for more than 4 weeks

PIP enquiry line
Telephone: 03458503322 / Textphone: 0345 601 6677 / Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

. be aged 16 to 64

. have a long-term health condition or disability and difficulties with activities related todaily living and/or mobility

. be in Great Britain when you claim – there are some exceptions e.g. family members, members of the Armed Forces

. have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years

. be habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands

. not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

You might get PIP if you’re living in or coming from another EEA country or Switzerland.

YOUR DISABILITY OR HEALTH CONDITION

You must have a long-term health condition or disability and face difficulties with daily living or getting around.

You must have had these difficulties for 3 months and expect to last at least 9 months, unless you’re terminally ill (you don’t expect to live more than 6 months).

Daily living difficulties

You may get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with things like:

preparing or eating food / managing your medicines or treatments / washing, bathing and using the toilet
making decisions about money / engaging with other people / dressing and undressing
reading and communicating

Mobility difficulties

You may get the mobility component of PIP if you need help going out or moving around.

How you’re assessed

Your claim will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional. This may be a face-to-face consultation. You’ll get a letter explaining why and where you must go.

You’ll be given a score on how much help you need. The more help you need, the higher the score you’ll get.

DWP makes the decision about your claim based on the results of your assessment, your application and any supporting evidence you include.

Your decision

You’ll usually get a decision 3 weeks after your assessment. You can appeal if you’re unhappy with the decision.

how to claim

Call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make a new PIP claim.

Telephone: 0800 917 2222 / Textphone: 0800 917 777 / Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm

What you’ll be asked for

You’ll be asked for information like:

contact details and date of birth / doctor or health workers name / National Insurance number
details of time you’ve spent abroad or in a care home / bank or building society details

Someone else can call on your behalf, but you’ll need to be with them when they call.

By Post:

You can also write asking for a form to send the above information by post. (This can delay the decision on your claim).

Personal Independence Payment New Claims, Post Handling Site, Wolverhampton, WV99 1AH

What happens next

You’ll be sent a ‘How your condition affects you’ form. It comes with notes to help you fill it in.

Complete and return the form to the DWP – the address is on the form. You’ll need an assessment to complete your application. The DWP will send you a letter once they’ve made their decision, explaining why you do or don’t get PIP.

What you need to know

If you’re terminally ill - you can get PIP more quickly if you’re not expected to live more than 6 months.

Call DWP to start your claim and then send them form DS1500 (you can only get this from a doctor or other healthcare professional). You will not need to complete the ‘How the condition affects you’ formor go to a face-to-face consultation.

Appeals

If you’re unhappy with your PIP decision you can:

Discuss the decision with the DWP

  • DWP will try and contact you to discuss the decision once you’ve got the letter explaining why you’re not eligible.
  • You can tell them why you don’t agree and give more information to support your argument, eg if your circumstances have changed.
  • You can also contact the DWP before they contact you. The telephone number and address will be on your decision letter.

Ask for a ‘mandatory reconsideration’

  • If you’re still unhappy, you can contact DWP again and formally ask them to look at their decision again. This is called a ‘mandatory reconsideration’ – you have to do it before you can appeal a decision.
  • You can phone or write to DWP and ask for a mandatory reconsideration – the details will be on your letter.
  • You have to ask for a mandatory reconsiderationwithin 1 month of the date of your decision letter.
  • You must give reasons why you’re asking for a reconsideration. You might want to include further information to support your case.
  • You’ll receive a ‘mandatory reconsideration notice’ as a response.

How to appeal

You can appeal your decision if you’re still unhappy with DWP’s response in the mandatory reconsideration notice.

Fill in the form ‘Notice of appeal against a decision of the Department of Work and Pensions – SSCS1’ and send it to the address on the form.

You must send the form within 1 calendar month of the date on the mandatory decision letter and include you mandatory reconsideration notice.

Page 1 of 3

June 2016