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What are Pip disability payments and how are they changing?

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The government has announced a series of changes to the welfare system aimed at saving £5bn by the end of 2030 and getting more people into work.

It will be harder to claim a key disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (Pip) under the proposals.

What is Pip and how are the rules changing?

Pip is paid to people who have difficulty completing everyday tasks or getting around as a result of a long-term physical or mental health condition.

There are two elements - a daily living component and a mobility component. Claimants may be eligible for one or both.

Daily living covers areas such as requiring help with preparing food, washing, reading and managing your money. The mobility element includes physically moving around or getting out of your home.

Applicants are scored on a points system based on their ability to carry out everyday tasks and on their mobility. Those who score 8-11 points in total receive the standard rate of Pip, and those who score 12 points and over are eligible for the enhanced rate.

From November 2026, the government says applicants will need to score at least four points in one activity to receive the daily living component of Pip.

Eligibility for mobility payments will not be affected.

The payments for daily living are:

  • A standard rate of £72.65 per week
  • An enhanced rate of £108.55 per week

For mobility the payments are:

  • A standard rate of £28.70 per week
  • An enhanced rate of £75.75 per week

Pip is usually paid every four weeks and is tax-free. It does not change depending on your savings or income and does not count as income affecting other benefits, or the benefit cap. You can get Pip if you are working.

At present, the payment is made for a fixed period of time between one and 10 years, after which it is reviewed. A reassessment could come earlier if your circumstances change.

Under the changes announced by the government, those with the highest levels of a permanent condition or disability will no longer face reassessment.

Initially, it was thought Pip payments might not be increased in line with inflation for a year, but the government has said they will not be frozen or means tested.

Pip is paid in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There is a similar but separate benefit in Scotland called the Adult Disability Payment.

How many people receive PIP?

More than 3.6 million people currently claim Pip.

When it was introduced in 2013, the aim was to save £1.4bn a year by reducing the number of people eligible for payments.

However, initial savings were modest and the number of claimants has risen.

Pip is now the second-largest element of the working-age welfare bill, with spending expected to almost double to £34bn by 2029-30.

Overall, the government currently spends £65bn a year on health and disability-related benefits. This is projected to increase to £100bn by 2029.

About 1.3m people now claim disability benefits primarily for mental health or behavioural conditions such as ADHD.

That is 44% of all working age claimants, according to the independent economic think-tank, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Bar chart showing health and disability benefits spending in 2023-24 by group, and forecasts for spending to 2029-30. In 2023-24, spending on working-age adults was £48.5bn, while spending on pensioners and children was £16.2bn. The forecast figures rise gradually up to 2029-30, when spending is expected to be £75.7bn and £25bn respectively.