PIP in England and Wales: Claim, Assessment, Review and Appeal Guide

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people whose long-term health condition or disability affects specified everyday activities or getting around. This guide covers the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) process in England and Wales. A diagnosis by itself does not establish entitlement, and this page cannot predict a decision.

PIP is not the Scottish application route: new Scottish claims use Adult Disability Payment (ADP). Northern Ireland has a separate Department for Communities process. If you live in either nation, use the local official service before following the DWP steps below.

Who can make a claim

For a standard new claim, GOV.UK says you must usually be at least 16 and below State Pension age, have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and have difficulty with certain everyday tasks or mobility. The difficulties must be expected to last at least 12 months from when they started. Different rules apply under the special rules for people nearing the end of life. There are also exceptions for some people who recently received PIP or ADP.

PIP is not means-tested: working or having savings does not by itself prevent a claim. That does not remove the separate residence, presence and immigration conditions. If you are not a British citizen, GOV.UK says you normally need to live in or intend to settle in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands and not be subject to immigration control, subject to stated exceptions. Rules can depend on nationality, status, residence history and the benefit circumstances. Do not infer that a visa or residence permission automatically qualifies or disqualifies you; get advice from an accredited welfare-rights or immigration adviser if this condition is relevant.

If you are over State Pension age and have not received PIP or ADP in the previous 12 months, Attendance Allowance may be the relevant benefit to investigate instead. Check the current GOV.UK eligibility page for the individual case.

What the assessment looks at

PIP has separate daily living and mobility components. The assessment considers a set of activities and how the person's condition affects their ability to do them. It is about practical support needs, not just the name or severity of a diagnosis. A person may qualify for one component, both or neither, depending on the decision.

For each activity, the assessment considers whether the person can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and within a reasonable time. It can also consider aids, prompting, supervision or help from another person, and how the condition fluctuates. The official assessment guidance considers the relevant 12-month period, including the preceding three months and expected following nine months. Describe the pattern across ordinary days, not only a best-day or crisis-day snapshot.

Starting the claim and completing the form

In England and Wales, start by following the current GOV.UK claim instructions. The usual route begins by phone; a claimant can also start by post, and full online claiming is available in some areas. GOV.UK provides a different process for someone nearing the end of life. Check the official page for the current contact method and details rather than relying on a saved phone number.

After starting, you will usually be asked to complete the “How your disability affects you” form, online or by post. It normally needs to be returned within one month. Contact the PIP enquiry line promptly if you need more time or cannot meet the deadline. Use the guidance sent with the form.

For each activity that is difficult, explain:

1. what you can and cannot do in practice;
2. whether you need an aid, prompting, supervision or physical help, and who provides it;
3. how long it takes, whether it causes pain, exhaustion, distress or risk, and whether you can repeat it;
4. how often the difficulty occurs and what changes on better and worse days; and
5. a real example that shows the effect on that activity.

Attach relevant documents you already have, such as a current care plan, medication list or information from a clinician or support worker. Explain what each document shows; do not assume a diagnosis letter alone describes daily support needs. Keep copies, proof of posting or online submission confirmation, and a dated record of contact with DWP.

Build a clear evidence pack

You do not need to create a large bundle just to make a claim. Start with records that help explain the specific difficulties you have described. For example, a care plan may show what another person does; a prescription list may identify treatment; and a clinic letter may explain a diagnosis or treatment history. A document is most useful when you explain how it connects to a task in the form. If a record does not exist, describe your experience accurately rather than delaying to obtain paperwork that the official instructions do not require.

Keep the pack proportionate and readable. Use a short index if you are sending several documents. Do not change or selectively edit clinical records; add a separate note if a document needs context. If someone helps you complete the form, review the final answers so they describe your own day-to-day experience. Keep a copy of the form and a list of everything submitted.

Preparing for an assessment

An assessment invitation may identify the provider, time, format and contact route. Read it carefully and contact the provider as soon as possible if you cannot attend, need an adjustment, need an interpreter or have a question about the proposed format. Do not assume that simply missing an appointment will preserve the claim. If an urgent health or access issue prevents attendance, explain it through the route on the letter and keep a record of the contact.

Before the appointment, reread the answers you submitted and note any important change since then. You can use notes so you remember examples, but answer the questions in your own words. Explain what happens when you attempt an activity, what support you need, whether the difficulty is usual or fluctuating, and how long any recovery or preparation takes. If you can do an activity only in a way that is unsafe, cannot be repeated, takes much longer or falls below an acceptable standard, describe that specific issue and a real example. Do not perform a movement simply to satisfy a request if you cannot do it safely; explain your concern and ask for a reasonable alternative.

The assessment is not a medical treatment appointment. The health professional gathers information for the benefit decision. A short appointment or a brief observation does not replace your full written account, so identify relevant context that may not be visible during a single meeting. GOV.UK says you can have another person with you. Its current assessment page also explains how to contact the provider if you do not want audio recording; check the invitation for the applicable instructions.

Assessment and decision

DWP may make a decision from the form and evidence or ask for more information. If needed, an assessment may take place at a centre, at home, by phone or by video. You may bring another person. Read the invitation and contact the assessment provider if you need an adjustment, cannot attend or have a question about recording.

The decision letter explains whether PIP is awarded, which components and rates apply, the award period and the review date where relevant. If you disagree, read the reasons and compare them with the form, evidence and each activity. The decision-maker decides the award; a health professional's assessment report is evidence, not the final decision itself.

Review, changed needs and challenging a decision

If DWP reviews an existing PIP award, follow the review letter. The review form is normally due within one month; contact the enquiry line if more time is needed. GOV.UK says payments continue while a review is being carried out. Report changes to needs or circumstances using the current official process, and keep copies of what you send.

If you disagree with a new decision, the usual first step is to ask DWP for a mandatory reconsideration (MR). Explain which parts of the decision you think are wrong and why, and send relevant evidence that supports those reasons. You usually need to ask within one month of the decision letter date. For PIP, the decision letter includes written reasons; if you request a written statement of reasons, GOV.UK says the MR period can be shortened to 14 days from its date. Check the official instructions before making that request.

If you still disagree after the MR notice, you can usually appeal to an independent tribunal. In England and Wales, follow the appeal instructions and time limit on the MR notice; the standard deadline is usually one month from that notice. Northern Ireland has a separate Appeals Service route. If a deadline has passed, contact the relevant office or an adviser immediately—late requests may require an explanation and are not automatically accepted.

An MR or appeal asks for review of the decision. It is different from a complaint about delay, service or conduct. A complaint does not replace the MR or appeal deadline. A reconsideration may review the claim as a whole, so get independent advice if the possible effects of challenging the award are unclear.

A decision-review checklist

When the decision arrives, keep the full notice and note its date. Check the daily living and mobility components separately and compare the decision reasons with the activities you described. For each disagreement, write down:

1. the activity or part of the award you are challenging;
2. what the decision says and what you believe it has missed or misunderstood;
3. the relevant example from your form or assessment; and
4. any new evidence that directly supports that point.

Send a clear explanation rather than a stack of unrelated documents. If you disagree with several parts, address each one. Use the contact details and method on the decision notice, and keep a copy of the request and evidence. If a new or changed condition is the main issue, tell DWP about the change using the official change-reporting process; do not assume an MR is a substitute for reporting a change. If the decision letter is unclear or the time limit is close, ask the office or a welfare-rights adviser for help straight away.

After the MR, read the Mandatory Reconsideration Notice before deciding whether to appeal. It explains the decision and provides the appeal instructions. An appeal normally asks an independent tribunal to consider the benefit decision; it is not a new claim form and it is not a complaint against the assessment provider. Follow the deadline in the notice and official service. If you need to explain a late appeal, do so in the form and get advice as soon as possible; acceptance of a late appeal is not guaranteed.

Residence and immigration checks

If a residence or immigration condition may affect you, collect the exact decision or evidence about your current status and residence history before asking for advice. Do not assume that a right to work, a right to reside under one rule, or eligibility for another benefit automatically answers the PIP test. PIP is also listed as a public fund for immigration purposes; see our separate UK NRPF and public-funds guide. Likewise, do not conclude that a non-British citizen cannot claim: GOV.UK lists circumstances and exceptions, and the outcome depends on the claimant's particular status and circumstances.

Welfare-benefit eligibility and immigration permission are related but separate questions. A PIP decision does not grant or extend immigration permission. If you are making a visa, residence or protection decision, obtain independent advice on how the benefit rules and your specific immigration conditions interact before relying on this summary. Keep an adviser’s contact details and ask which documents are relevant to both questions; do not send sensitive status documents to an unrelated service.

Related benefit information

If someone provides at least 35 hours of care to a person receiving a qualifying disability benefit, they may want to check the separate Carer’s Allowance guide. PIP itself does not automatically establish the carer’s eligibility: the carer must meet that benefit’s conditions, and household benefits can interact.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• GOV.UK: PIP eligibility
• GOV.UK: Public funds for immigration purposes
• GOV.UK: How to claim PIP
• GOV.UK: After you have applied
• DWP: PIP assessment guide for assessment providers
• GOV.UK: PIP claim reviews
• GOV.UK: Ask for mandatory reconsideration
• GOV.UK: Appeal a benefit decision
• nidirect: Personal Independence Payment
• mygov.scot: Adult Disability Payment