Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a UK benefit that helps with the extra costs of living with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. This guide walks through the claim stages in plain English, from your first phone call to filling in the PIP2 form and checking your PA4 assessment report.
What is PIP and how is it worked out?
PIP is not means-tested, so your income, savings, or employment status do not affect whether you can get it. It is tax-free and has two parts (components):
- Daily Living component: Covers 10 everyday activities, including preparing food, taking nutrition, managing therapy, washing and bathing, managing toilet needs, dressing and undressing, communicating verbally, reading and understanding signs, engaging with other people face to face, and making budgeting decisions.
- Mobility component: Covers 2 activities, planning and following journeys (Activity 11) and moving around (Activity 12).
You can receive one component or both. In each component, scoring 8 to 11 points awards the Standard rate, and scoring 12 points or more awards the Enhanced rate.
Step 1: Check if you meet the basic eligibility rules
To claim PIP, you must generally:
- Be aged 16 or over and under State Pension age when you apply.
- Have a physical or mental health condition or disability where you have had difficulties with daily living or mobility (or both) for at least 3 months, and expect those difficulties to last for at least another 9 months (the 12-month qualifying period).
- Have lived in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years and be living there when you claim.
Step 2: How to get a PIP form and start your claim with the DWP
You start a new PIP claim (Stage 1 / PIP1) by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0800 917 2222 (textphone 0800 917 7777), or by requesting a paper PIP1 form by post if you cannot use the phone. In many postcode areas across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you can also request and complete the PIP form online through GOV.UK. During the initial registration, you only need basic details:
- Your full name, address, telephone number, and date of birth.
- Your National Insurance number.
- Your bank or building society account details.
- The name and address of your GP or main health professional.
- Details of any recent time spent in a hospital, care home, or abroad.
What is a PIP2 form?
After your claim is registered, the DWP sends you the "How your disability affects you" (PIP2) questionnaire, either as a paper booklet in the post or as an online form link. You usually have 1 calendar month to return the PIP2 form. If you need extra time, call the DWP PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 4433 before your deadline ends to ask for a 2-week extension.
Step 3: Fill in the "How your disability affects you" (PIP2) form: all 12 PIP questions and points
The PIP2 form asks about 10 Daily Living questions (Activities 1 to 10) and 2 Mobility questions (Activities 11 and 12):
| PIP2 Question / Activity | Component | Maximum Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preparing food | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 2. Taking nutrition (eating and drinking) | Daily Living | 10 points |
| 3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 4. Washing and bathing | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 6. Dressing and undressing | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 7. Communicating verbally | Daily Living | 12 points |
| 8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 9. Engaging with other people face to face | Daily Living | 8 points |
| 10. Making budgeting decisions | Daily Living | 6 points |
| 11. Planning and following journeys | Mobility | 12 points |
| 12. Moving around | Mobility | 12 points |
For each activity that affects you:
- Describe the specific symptom that causes difficulty (such as joint pain, breathlessness, tremor, cognitive fatigue, or severe anxiety).
- List any aids or appliances you use (such as a perching stool, grab rails, dosette box, or walking stick) and any help, prompting, or supervision you need from another person.
- Explain whether you can carry out the activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time (the statutory S.A.R.R. criteria under Regulation 4(2A)).
How the 50% rule works for fluctuating conditions
Under Regulation 7, the DWP looks at how your condition affects you across a 12-month period. If your symptoms vary from day to day, a descriptor applies to you if it is true on more than 50% of days. Avoid describing only your best days, explain how many days a week your symptoms flare up and what happens when you try to do the task. For worked examples, see our guide on PIP descriptor 1 preparing food examples.
Step 4: Send copies of supporting evidence
Include copies (never your only originals) of relevant documents that back up what you wrote:
- Clinic letters, discharge summaries, or GP summary printouts.
- Repeat prescription lists.
- Occupational therapy (OT), physiotherapy, or community mental health care plans.
- A short daily diary kept over 1 to 2 weeks and a letter from someone who helps you regularly.
Step 5: Prepare for the assessment and check your PA4 report
Most claimants are invited to a consultation with a health professional (by phone, video call, or face to face). You can have a relative, friend, or support worker join you.
A few days after your assessment, you can phone the DWP on 0800 121 4433 and ask for a free copy of your PA4 medical assessment report. If the PA4 report leaves out key facts or relies on brief informal observations, read our step-by-step guide on how to challenge a PA4 assessor report.