PIP Assessment Rule Change Explained | Check Your Eligibility

A PIP assessment rule change has been made, meaning you could be entitled to over £5,000 if you already receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

This article explains the rule change, along with whether you’re affected, what the rule change means for people who require care and how you can use our service to find home carers near you.

---

---

In this article:

1. What is the PIP assessment rule change?
2. Who is affected by the PIP assessment rule change?
3. Which PIP claims won’t be reviewed?
4. What does the PIP assessment rule change mean for people who require care?
5. How to dispute a PIP decision
6. Find care at home through Lottie

---

What Is the PIP Assessment Rule Change?

A rule change means that some people who claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) could be owed thousands of pounds. PIP is a benefit for people under the State Pension age who require extra help and support due to a long-term disability, medical condition or illness. People who claim PIP often require professional care, such as through care at home given by a trained carer.

PIP comprises two elements - daily living and mobility. There was a recent change to the daily living component assessment rules around the definition of ‘social support’.

It was determined that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) got the law wrong when deciding the points PIP claimants could get for the activity of ‘engaging with other people face to face’ during their PIP assessment. This meant some claimants didn’t receive points where they should have done, so they either got the lower amount or didn’t qualify at all.

Now, 284,000 PIP claimants have been urged to contact the DWP if they think they may have been affected.

Around 14,000 arrears payments have been made at a total of £74 million. This works out at an average of £5,285 per person. This exact amount per person will vary, depending on which PIP components you get and how long you’ve received PIP. These arrears go as far back as April 2016 for some people.

---

Who Is Affected By the PIP Assessment Rule Change?

This rule change only affects somebody’s assessment for the daily living component of PIP. It doesn’t affect the mobility component.

You could be affected by this rule change if you previously missed out on the daily living component of PIP, or if you were previously given the standard rate and may now be entitled to the enhanced rate. For 2024/2025, the standard rate of the daily living component is worth £72.65 a week, while the enhanced rate is worth £108.55. This works out at a difference between the two rates of £35.90 a week, £155.57 a month and £1,866.80 a year.

Disability Rights UK say that the following people may be affected by this rule change:

• People who have regular meetings with a mental health professional, without which they wouldn’t be able to manage face-to-face encounters
• People who need the input of friends or relatives who have specific experiences of supporting them in social situations, to help them manage face-to-face encounters

---

---

Which PIP Claims Won’t Be Reviewed?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) isn’t reviewing the following claims:

• Where the enhanced rate of the daily living component has been continuously awarded since the 6th of April 2016
• Where a tribunal made a decision about a claim since the 6th of April 2016
• Where a decision not to award PIP was made before the 6th of April 2016

---

What Does the PIP Assessment Rule Change Mean For People Who Require Care?

The PIP assessment rule change means that you could now be eligible for the standard rate of the daily living component. Or, you could now qualify for the enhanced rate, meaning you’ll get more per week.

You might be eligible for either rate of the daily living component if you need help with the following:

• Preparing and cooking meals
• Eating and drinking
• Managing medication and any other treatment you require
• Getting dressed and undressed
• Getting in and out of bed
• Washing and bathing
• Using the toilet
• Communicating with others

People who receive PIP are often supported through home care. You could be eligible to claim PIP while receiving care at home if you’re under the State Pension age and have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least two of the last three years.

If you live in a care home and pay for your own care, you can also claim PIP.

---

How To Dispute a PIP Decision

If you’re unhappy with a decision made on the review of your PIP claim, you can ask the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to reconsider their decision. This is known as a mandatory reconsideration. This must be completed before an appeal is made.

GOV.UK have more information about challenging PIP decisions.

---

Find Care At Home Through Lottie

We’re partnered with the country’s best home care agencies. You can use our website to find home care near you. You can also request a free list of home care agencies, and our knowledgeable care experts will recommend home care providers nearby with availability.

Each of our home care listings includes essential information, such as the types of home care and specific support offered, funding types accepted and whether care is available on a fixed-term or ongoing basis.

Many people use PIP to pay for home care services, so finding out how much PIP you’re entitled to is really important.

Some of the services offered by our home care partners that people who claim the daily living component of PIP often require are:

• Meal preparation
• Shopping and running other errands
• Admin support
• General housekeeping
• Gardening
• Pet support
• Bathroom assistance
• Administering oral medications
• Continence care
• Washing and dressing
• Specialist care such as wound dressing, stoma care, administering intravenous medications, catheter care and PEG feeding

---

Lottie matches care seekers with the best home carers for their care needs. You can request a free list of home care agencies, where we’ll find you home care providers with availability in your local area.