PIP changes: Everything you need to know if you receive disability benefit

Liz Kendall today announced changes to the PIP for Disability Support System (Personal Independence Payment).

Despite the rumors that the government would completely scrap the benefit, the secretary of work and pensions said PIP is here to stay, but it will be more difficult to qualify.

Ms Kendall said the reforms will Save £ 5 billion a year At the end of the decade.

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But what is PIP, who can do it, what does the government plan to change and who will be affected?

Here’s what you need to know.

What is pip?

PIP is a tax-free payment given to people to help with the extra costs caused by long-term health or disability.

There are two parts to it:

A daily live part – for those who have a long -term physical or mental health or disability
A mobility part – for people struggling to perform or get around certain everyday tasks.

It is possible to meet the criteria for one part or both parts, and payments vary for each.

Those who qualify for the Daily Living Part get a lower rate of £ 72.65 per week or a higher rate of £ 108.55, and those who qualify for the mobility part receive £ 28.70 or £ 75.75.

What has changed?

In essence, rather than freezing PIP, Ms Kendall announced a change to the assessment for the benefit, which aims to help the disabled with the increased living costs associated with their conditions.

People will now have to score at least four points in one activity to qualify.

The adjustment will require a change in the law, which Ms. Kendall said the government planned to do.

How does the government make its decisions?

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) does an assessment to work out the level of assistance a person must receive.

A person’s needs are assessed at a scoring system through which the more serious the impact is in a specific area, and the greater the help needed, the more points a person gets and the more money they receive.

For example, an applicant gets two points on the daily live score if they have to use a tool or device (such as a prostheses or easy grip handles on tools) when cooking a meal, or they get eight points if they can’t prepare food or cook at all.

Similarly, the applicant will get four points if he can stand and move between 50 meters and 200 meters, and 12 points if they can only move between one meter and 20 meters.

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The answers are assessed by health professionals who then provide a report for DWP case managers with recommendations on what to give the applicant, if anything.

Applicants can provide additional medical evidence as part of a claim to assessors, but this is not a requirement, as the person’s self -assessment on the impact that their condition is is prioritized when making a decision.

Who is currently eligible?

People between the ages of 16-64 can get pip, regardless of whether they work if they expect their problems to take at least 12 months from the beginning.

Those who are told that they can live 12 months or less can also apply and can get pip faster.

Sufferers of both physical disability and cognitive or mental health conditions such as anxiety can meet the criteria for both types of pip.

There is no list of medical conditions that determine who qualifies for PIP. Instead, applicants are assessed at the level of assistance they need with specific activities.

For the daily living part, people may need help with things like: