Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
The main disability benefit for working age adults. Scored on points across daily living and mobility, not on your diagnosis.
Figures on this page are 2026/27 tax year rates, checked 2 August 2026. UK benefit rates and care charging thresholds change every April.
PIP helps with the extra costs of a long term health condition or disability if you are aged 16 or over and under State Pension age.
The rates
Daily living component
| Rate | Weekly | Points needed |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | £76.70 | 8 |
| Enhanced | £114.60 | 12 |
Mobility component
| Rate | Weekly | Points needed |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | £30.30 | 8 |
| Enhanced | £80.00 | 12 |
Both at the enhanced rate is £194.60 a week.
How the points work
PIP is scored against 12 activities: 10 for daily living and 2 for mobility. Each has descriptors worth different points, and you score the one that best describes you.
The components are assessed separately. Many people get one and not the other.
The rules people miss
Reliably. You can only be scored as able to do something if you can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time. Managing once, painfully, slowly, is not managing.
The 50 per cent rule. If a descriptor applies on more than half the days over a 12 month period, it applies.
Aids and appliances. Needing an aid to do something scores points. So does needing prompting or supervision.
It is not about diagnosis. Two people with the same condition can score very differently.
Qualifying period
You must have had difficulties for 3 months and expect them to continue for at least 9 more. Special rules apply if you are terminally ill.
The assessment
Most claims involve a health assessment, by phone, video or in person. Take notes, describe your worst realistic days and how often they happen, and say what happens when you push through.
If refused, request a mandatory reconsideration within one month, then appeal to a tribunal. Success rates at tribunal are high, so a refusal is far from the end.
Score yourself first
Our PIP points calculator walks the real descriptors so you can see where you score and where your evidence needs to be strongest.
Common questions
How much is PIP?
Daily living is £76.70 or £114.60 a week. Mobility is £30.30 or £80.00 a week. Both components together at the enhanced rate come to £194.60 a week.
Is PIP means tested?
No. PIP is not means tested and is not taxable. You can claim it whether you work or not, and savings make no difference.
How many points do I need for PIP?
8 points in a component gives the standard rate, 12 points gives the enhanced rate. The two components are scored separately, so you can get one and not the other.
What is the difference between PIP and Attendance Allowance?
PIP is for working age adults and has two components including mobility. Attendance Allowance is for people over State Pension age, has no mobility component, and is assessed on care needs rather than points.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Personal Independence Payment accessed 2 August 2026
- GOV.UK — PIP: how much you'll get accessed 2 August 2026
This page is general information about how care funding works in England. It is not financial, legal or medical advice, and it does not replace an assessment by your local council or the NHS. Carevo is not a care provider.