PIP to increase in April – do you qualify for benefit worth up to £748 a month? | Personal Finance | Finance
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit distributed by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to help people who need extra help with daily tasks or getting around due to long-term illness, disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions. The rate at which this is paid is due to increase by 10.1 percent from April, which could provide a much-welcomed boost amid rising costs.
In a move that should see an estimated 19.2 million families and 39.8 million individuals benefit, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a 10.1 percent increase across DWP and HMRC benefits this year.
PIP is one of the benefits announced to also see the raise, and Britons are being urged to check they’re claiming all the financial support they could be entitled to.
People can apply for PIP even if they’re working, have savings, or are already receiving other benefits.
There are two components to PIP; a daily living part for those who need help with everyday tasks, and a mobility part for those who need help moving around. Each comes with two rates; a standard rate and an enhanced rate.
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Those entitled to the full rate can receive up to £172.75 a week in April, which translates to around £748.58 a month. Currently, the benefit at its full rate is worth £156.90.
As per Benefits and Work’s website, the decision about whether a person is entitled to each component, and if so at what rate, is based on the number of points scored in total for certain activities.
For the daily living task component, points are based on the following activities:
- Preparing food
- Taking nutrition
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
- Washing and bathing
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence
- Dressing and undressing
- Communicating verbally
- Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
- Engaging with other people face-to-face
- Making budgeting decisions.
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How to claim PIP
To be eligible for PIP, all of the following must apply to the claimant:
- They’re 16 or over
- They have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- They have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around
- They expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started.
If all apply, the easiest way to claim is to phone the PIP helpline. Claimants must then fill in a form, after which they’ll then undergo an assessment.
