DWP PIP claimants most-likely to get fee award of £749 in the event that they belong to 6 teams

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed last month that proposed plans to reform Personal Independence Payment (PIP), specifically introducing a change to the eligibility rules, will come into force in November 2026 for new and existing claimants.

The DWP also stated that current claimants will only be impacted by the change at their next review, post the November implementation date. The most recent figures reveal that over 1.5 million (41%) of all 3.7m PIP claimants have been granted an award of five years or longer.

As of the end of January, approximately 1,501,215 individuals in England, Wales and living abroad, have an ongoing award for a disability, long-term illness, or physical or mental health condition. This data does not include the remaining 35,000 Scottish PIP claimants set to transition to Adult Disability Payment (ADP) this Spring.

Over 58 per cent of people claiming PIP for a visual disease receive a monthly award of up to £737.20 (increasing to £749 this month) for five years or more. More than half of all claimants with general musculoskeletal conditions (50.8%) such as arthritis, muscle or joint pain, have been given a longer award, along with 49.5 per cent of people with a neurological condition such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy.

For folks contemplating a punt at PIP or Adult Disability Payment (ADP), bear in mind the awards vary from nine months to a whopping 10 years, yet DWP stats only jot down dole for “five years or longer”, reports the Daily Record.

The latest PIP Handbook gives the lowdown that decision-makers hand out PIP based on how a claimant’s health condition or disability plays out in their daily grind and self-reliance. It chimes in: “The length of award will be based upon each claimant’s individual circumstances.”

Don’t skip over the fact that DWP guidance also chatters that most blokes and birds will get their award eyeballed often, “regardless of the length of the award”, just to keep things kosher and making sure “everyone continues to receive the most appropriate level of support”.

A few claimants catch a limited spree award for a set stretch of up to two years – DWP blabs these won’t be given another once-over. Restricted term no-peeky awards pop up when the claimant’s health scenario might smarten up.

Continuing awards with a ‘light touch’ once-over happen too. The DWP manual raps: “These claimants would not usually be expected to have a face-to-face assessment at review.”

The annual increase of 1.7 per cent will result in individuals on disability benefits receiving between £29.20 and £187.45 each week, equating to £116.80 or £749.80 every four-week pay period. Over the financial year, this will lead to those on the highest awards receiving an additional £9,747 in cash assistance.

It’s crucial to note that the maximum amount of £749.80 is based on someone receiving the highest award for both the daily living and mobility components.

It’s important to understand that people with various health conditions can be awarded PIP for up to five years or more. The award is determined by how the condition impacts the claimant.

The conditions listed below have the highest percentage rate of five-year or longer awards given to claimants at the end of January 2025.

• Visual disease
• Musculoskeletal disease (general)
• Neurological disease
• Respiratory disease
• Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders)
• Musculoskeletal disease (regional)

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