People making a new claim for PIP most-likely to get ongoing monthly payments of £749
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - information
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has shelved plans to reform Personal Independence Payment (PIP) until a review of the eligibility and assessment process has been completed. Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms will co-produce the review with disabled groups and charities, which is expected to be completed by next Autumn.
The DWP has said that over 1,000 new PIP awards are being issued every day with the latest figures showing there are now 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales receiving between £29.20 and £187.45 every week. It's important to be aware that Adult Disability Payment (ADP) has replaced PIP in Scotland.
The data also shows that more than 1.5m (41%) of all 3.7m PIP claimants have been issued with an award of five years or longer. More than 58 per cent of people claiming PIP for a visual disease have a monthly award of up to £749 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 people thinking about making a new claim for PIP, or ADP, it's important to be aware award lengths cary and can last between nine months and up to 10 years, however, DWP data only records awards given up to 'five years or longer'.
The current edition of the PIP Handbook explains the decision maker will make an award of PIP based on the impact of the claimant's health condition or disability on their daily life and their ability to live independently. It adds: 'The length of award will be based upon each claimant's individual circumstances.'
It's important to be aware the guidance from the DWP also says most claimants will have their award regularly reviewed, 'regardless of the length of the award' in order to make sure 'everyone continues to receive the most appropriate level of support'.
Some claimants will be given a limited term award for a fixed period of up to two years - DWP says these awards will not be reviewed. Limited awards with no review date are given where the claimant's health condition may be reasonably expected to improve.
Ongoing awards with a 'light touch' review
A 'light touch' review is typically awarded to claimants who have:
very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time
high level needs which will either stay the same or get worse
a planned award review date due on or at State Pension age
a special rules for end of life claim due when of State Pension age
The DWP guidance states: 'These claimants would not usually be expected to have a face-to-face assessment at review.'
PIP and ADP payments are now worth between £29.20 and £187.45 each week, some £116.80 or £749.80 every four-week pay period. Over the course of the financial year, this will see people on the highest awards receive £9,747 in extra cash help.
It's important to be aware the maximum amount of £749.80 is based on someone in receipt of the highest award for both the daily living and mobility components.
Six conditions with PIP award of five years or longer
It's important to be aware people with different health conditions can be awarded PIP for up to five years or longer. The award is based on how the condition affects the claimant.
The conditions listed below have the highest percentage rate of five-year or longer awards given to claimants at the end of April 2025.
Visual disease
58,685
34,692
Musculoskeletal disease (general)
682,391
341,434
50.8%
Neurological disease
468,113
230,412
Respiratory disease
138,376
64,835
Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders)
19,542
8,697
Musculoskeletal disease (regional)
426,038
185,916
44.6%
Total number of PIP claimants
3,744,671
1,501,215
41%
Below is an overview of PIP and ADP. Even though new claims for PIP have been replaced in Scotland by ADP, it shares most of the same eligibility criteria. Full guidance on ADP can be found on the MYGOV.SCOT website here.
Who might be eligible for PIP or ADP?
To be eligible for PIP or ADP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
In addition to what we have outlined above if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP or ADP.
eating, drinking or preparing food
washing, bathing, using the toilet, managing incontinence
dressing and undressing
talking, listening, reading and understanding
managing your medicines or treatments
making decisions about money
mixing with other people
working out a route and following it
physically moving around
leaving your home
There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the GOV.UK website here.
DWP or Social Security Scotland will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they will look at:
whether you can do it safely
how long it takes you
how often your condition affects this activity
whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
How are PIP and ADP paid?
PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP.
PIP and ADP payment rates 2025/26
You will need an assessment to work out the level of financial help you will receive and your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support. Payments are made every four weeks.
PIP is made up of two components:
Daily living
Mobility
Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
Standard: £73.90
Enhanced: £110.40
Mobility
Standard: £29.20
Enhanced: £77.05
How you are assessed
You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need, for PIP.
Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware the health professional and DWP determine which type of assessment is best suited for each claimant. You can find out more about DWP PIP assessments here.
Adult Disability Payment assessments will not involve face-to-face assessments, unless this is preferred by the claimant - find out more about the changes here.
How do you make a claim for PIP?
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.
Before you call, you will need:
your contact details
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker's name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you've spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
How to apply for ADP
People can apply ADP, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on mygov.scot here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
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Daily Mirror
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You see, Annabelle is one of only 652 people worldwide diagnosed with Forkhead box protein P1 syndrome (FOXP1) - a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, causing cognitive, behavioural and physical challenges. It has resulted in her having cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, global development delay, hypotonia and challenging behaviour. I am in awe of Annabelle's determination, fearlessness and resilience. She has defied expectations. She can walk, dance and ride a bike. Although mostly non-verbal, she can talk in simple sentences, she sings beautifully, she gives the most amazing cuddles and has a smile that lights up every room. She is learning to colour in and is learning to read simple words. She has an amazing laugh and sense of humour, she is funny, kind and patient. She also faces immense challenges – physically and mentally – and, as her family, with no one who truly understands to talk to, until now, so have we. It's not just Philip and me, either. 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Daily Mail
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Is THIS Britain's most depressed suburb? How deprived community has highest amount of people claiming for mental health as locals say 'its a dump'
'It's a dump. It's a 's***hole.' Those were the words echoed by disheartened locals in the small constituency of Walton in Liverpool, when MailOnline visited Britain's 'most depressed' suburb this week. Almost one in 20 people in the area, which is home to the iconic stadiums of Liverpool's Anfield and Everton's Goodison Park, claim PIP for depression and anxiety. It is the highest proportion of any constituency in England and Wales, with 4.7 per cent of residents getting disability benefits on mental health grounds, an analysis of DWP data shows. It comes as PIP handouts for mental health claims have hit an all-time high, doubling over the last decade, and revealed the areas with the most claims. In Walton depression and anxiety claims make up about 20 per cent of all PIP claims, which number nearly 15,000 - accounting for 23 per cent of its working-age population. Along the Walton Road, shops on the main high street had their shutters pulled down, vape shops and bookies had popped up on every corner, and drug deals were taking place in daylight. Something that locals all seemed to agree on was that Walton had become a 'rubbish' place to live, but while some believed depression was genuinely high in the area, others felt people were just 'milking the system'. Liverpool Walton is without a doubt one of the most deprived regions in the country. In fact, the government's Deprivation in English Constituencies data from 2024 shows it is the third most deprived area out of 543 constituencies. Local Jimmy Little, 65, who claimed to have just come out of prison, told MailOnline: 'I've been depressed for 12 years. I'm back to being a musician now and I'm a lot better. 'Everyone here is poor and we're all struggling. 'Everything is hard here. There's a lot of problems and struggles. 'Poverty is a terrible cause of anxiety, because you haven't got the money to survive. 'I was in jail for many years for robbing security vans and safes and stuff. Nothing that bad. But I bounced back from it. 'I was born nearby and always been here. It's gone terrible down here. 'Gangs of kids won't think twice to stab you. 'I'm just back from prison and I've just got on PIP.' When our reporter approached an elderly woman, she said: 'It's a dump. It's a 's***hole, that's why'. Thomas Fox, 35, previously worked in the fire service and is on PIP due to trauma in the workplace, though still works in fire protection. He told MailOnline: 'Walton has gone terrible, it's rubbish. Absolutely rubbish. 'There's a lot of depression because there's f*** all here. There's literally nothing. 'All the shops are closing down. There are six convenience stores on a block of seven shops. There are halal shops replacing old stores. 'And they've built a mosque now on the corner, and people park on both sides all the way along this main road. 'The high street is full of vape shops. They are constantly raided for selling fake cigarettes and drugs. 'There's a shop down there where they sell drugs in there, they give you a number. And if you're like me and you don't look straight cut they'll preposition you. 'The pubs are the only thing people held on to but with Everton going that's gone down too. 'Everton has moved stadiums and this is going to become the women's ground, but that obviously doesn't bring in as many crowds yet. 'There's good commuter links, there's Anfield down the road, there's no reason for it to be this bad.' Pointing to empty shops down the street, he said: 'In the last three months that's closed, it used to be a Savers. And that's closed, that's closed, and that charity shop has closed. 'Everything that is open is more of the same.' Mr Fox seemed to attribute the high levels of mental health claims to the fact asylum seekers have moved into the town. He said: 'We're all working class here, work hard, and they're putting people next door who have more than us and don't have to work for it. 'So people are trying to get whatever they can get because you've got people who are not integrating but are getting everything so why is it that we are struggling for everything that we have? 'We've got a 2020 Kia Nero. The asylum seeker family who have moved in next door have a 2025 7-seater Mercedes, but don't have jobs. 'It's given to them by the council, they get food deliveries twice a week and get a cleaner who comes in. 'All the streets around here, the houses are being bought up my immigration. On weekends they bring the sofas out and have drinks and smoke.' Mr Fox moved to the area four years ago but had lived close by and visited Walton since young. He said: 'We moved here about four years ago because it's the only place we could afford. 'We bought a three-bed terraced house for £70k. Nowhere else is that price.' Meanwhile, Joe Brian, 48, who moved to Walton from Newcastle in 2022, took a swipe at those claiming benefits, alleging that people were 'milking the government'. He said: 'No one wants to work here. 'It's a s***hole, it's terrible. 'It's stemmed from the 80s, just more and more lazy people. 'I've just moved here three years ago from Newcastle. There are loads of foreigners here but you can't blame them, they are out working. 'But others are sitting at home claiming there's something wrong with them and there's not. They just want to sit at home. 'Now there's kids who have never worked a day in their life and they've just been signed off for life. 'People are on fortunes milking the government. "Unfit for work" and all that, lazy b*****ds.' An 18-year-old, who while acknowledging it was a genuine case for many, was also speculative about the number of people suffering depression in the area. She said: 'I think a lot of people over-exaggerate. 'Don't get me wrong I think a lot of people actually have mental health problems, but I think people also exaggerate it. 'And depression and anxiety are easier to exaggerate than physical disabilities.' An article by the Liverpool Echo in 2022 claimed the poverty was so dire in Walton that families were forced to skip meals to get by. Local Labour MP Dan Carden, who says his constituency is the most deprived in the UK, says 'welfare' is not the answer and called on the government to invest in the area. He said: 'The government must pay particular attention to Walton. We will be judged on what happens here over these five years. Almost one in 20 people in Walton are understood to claim PIP for depression and anxiety - the largest proportion of any UK constituency 'Welfare is not the answer, it just plugs the gaps for people suffering poor health because of poverty and lack of opportunity. 'I see how constant rent increases hurt people and cause real suffering here. 'We need good, well-paid, secure work and quality housing, with local people prioritised. 'Otherwise the welfare bill will keep expanding in places like Walton.' According to government data, Liverpool Walton, Liverpool Riverside, Blackpool South, Birmingham Ladywood and Knowsley are the five most deprived communities in England. Another local Brian Wignall echoed the same sentiments about Walton. He said: 'I think everyone is depressed around here. 'Unemployment is so high. There are men and women who are perfectly able to work but the problem is if I were getting far more on benefits, why would I work? 'I've worked for 50 years not a day on benefits until now.' Speaking about the number of people on benefits for depression and anxiety he said: 'People are depressed. 'People are popping pills left right and centre because it gets them through the day. 'I take tablets everyday to get me out of bed. 'And then you've got people who will milk the system. 'But then you've got another half of people who can't even get into the system. 'I had to go through and file three years of medical examinations and go through tribunals to finally get my PIP.' On how much the area has changed, he continued: 'I'm 73 now, and when I started drinking this was the road. 'You would not believe the changes. That road there was full of lots of shops. This road itself there were six shoe shops, there was everything you needed. 'It was fantastic. But people have moved on since. It is probably one of the worst roads in Liverpool now. 'It's the drugs isn't it. Just drugs, drugs, drugs. 'Every shop now is Sri Lankan, they took over all the shops, and now it's the Yemenese. 'Every time a shop closes down another opens. 'There's a butchers there that's been here 60 years and it's closed down. 'What really gripes me is I've paid into the system for 50 whatever years. I've never had what the asylum seekers are getting. I've never had that. 'I'm in one of the flats, this Iranian family opposite me are in a three-bed house. And they've got a 2025 plate Nissan Qashqai just given to them.' Just a few minutes down from Walton Road, Oakfield Road crosses past Anfield Stadium. Here too, most shops are either shut for the season, or shut permanently, with many buildings laying empty. Liverpool City Council have said Anfield will be undergoing a major £5million revamp scheme later this year which includes the main Walton Breck Road and connecting streets leading to Liverpool stadium. There are also wider plans to redevelop deprived areas in Liverpool North and build more than 10,000 new homes. Local Jackie Barcas, who has worked as an NHS cleaner for 25 years, disagreed with the negative depiction of the constituency. She exclaimed: 'It's not that bad. 'I've lived around here most of my life and it's not at all like that. 'They make it out like it is but not everyone here sits around. 'Of course there are people who aren't working but you get that everywhere. 'I've done my job for 25 years. My family all worked and I was brought up with that. 'If you're brought up with that you do work. 'But loads of people do swing the lead. A row of houses that have been boarded up, with graffiti across it reading 'NOWHERE' 'It is a poor area and people will be like that in these sorts of places. 'I think it's deprived everywhere though, wages are crap, the cost-of-living is high. 'It's hard but you just get on don't you. But some people will just swing the lead. 'But we're not all lazy in the area.' Meanwhile, a local in Walton told of how she has suffered anxiety from a young age. She said: 'I suffer with anxiety but I've had it since young. 'I think you grow up around it, I grew up with a single mum out working all the time so she had anxiety. 'So I grew up with it too and always had it. I try not to be the same with my little one.' Another local said: 'People are struggling around here. It's gone terrible now. It used to be a nice area but it's gone downhill. 'There's a lot of poverty, everyone is struggling to get by. 'I am looking for a job now but it's so hard. I even printed out my CV and went around giving it but nothing. 'I'm on Universal Credit and I've done courses through them. 'Everyone is struggling to afford to take people on.' A customer in a salon who suffers severe anxiety and claims PIP for it told MailOnline: 'The people who need it the most are suffering. 'And then there are a lot of people in this area who just say they are ill. 'I'm on PIP myself but I've got a diagnosis, I've got a doctors note and everything to show for it. 'But a lot of people say they've got back problems or say they have depression because they are easy ones to get. 'There is a lot of poverty in this area, a lot of homelessness, a lot of addicts in recovery, which is linked to mental health issues. So it is hard. 'I do know of two people who are on it but shouldn't be. 'People feel they don't need to work because they're getting the benefits.' Councillor Dan Barrington, Cabinet Member for Transport and Connectivity, said: 'The redevelopment of the Anfield community has been more than a decade in the making and we're now entering a key phase to improving the heart of it. 'Creating a healthier, greener, safer and more visually appealing high street will have a major impact on the day-to-day quality of life of our residents. This will set the foundation for further development to come to the housing and retail offer in the area.' Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: 'Enhancing the public spaces along Oakfield Road and Walton Breck Road is a vital aspect and a longstanding goal of the Anfield regeneration programme. 'Importantly, these proposed improvements to the High Street will connect various regeneration projects in the surrounding area. 'This investment will also provide a boost to the existing businesses and those looking to invest and grow here, and there's more improvements to come once plans for Anfield Square are formalised.'
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
More than 1.4m claiming mental health benefits
A record 531 people a day were granted welfare benefits for mental health problems, analysis of last year's Personal Independence Payment (Pip) figures reveals. In the 2024-25 financial year, Department for Work and Pensions staff approved 193,890 such cases for England and Wales – equivalent to one application being rubber-stamped every three minutes. The full extent of those claiming Pip due to mental health illness could in fact be much higher because the Government data do not include those who successfully appeal an initial rejection of their claim. The latest statistics for the month of April also reveal that a total of 1.4 million people were in receipt of a Pip payment due to mental health issues. That figure represents a 70 per cent increase compared to a similar monthly snapshot taken in January 2020 when 848,882 such payments were approved. That April data includes 407,000 cases approved for 'mixed anxiety and depression', 62,000 for 'anxiety disorders' and 83,000 for ADHD, alongside a variety of other illnesses ranging from autism to personality disorders. Meanwhile, one in 10 of the country's 38 million working-age people is in receipt of some kind of health benefit. In November 2024, 3,943,677 people aged between 16 and 64 were claiming some form of payment for disability or sickness. Reform UK's Richard Tice MP said: 'The level of waste and corruption in this country is at an all-time high, with a total lack of oversight, massive overspending, and no accountability from this Labour government. 'This country needs to be run more like a business and less like a charity with unlimited funding. It's always the hard-working British taxpayer who ends up paying the price. 'Reform will slash government spending by scrapping net zero, ending DEI practices, and securing our borders. By doing so, we will free up funds to focus on what truly matters: improving public services and easing the burden on the working class.' Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said: 'This week, the Prime Minister was forced into a humiliating climbdown on welfare by socialist Labour MPs. 'Runaway welfare spending has to be brought under control, but unbelievably we're now left with a Bill that will end up costing the taxpayer more. 'Starmer is in office, but not in power. And without someone able to take difficult decisions, this country is doomed.' The analysis comes just days after Labour backbenchers forced Rachel Reeves to back down on her plans to cut the benefits bill. The Chancellor had hoped to impose more stringent disability criteria for Pip claimants to help fill a black hole in the Government's spending forecasts. But on Thursday, she was forced into a £3 billion U-turn to placate rebel MPs. As part of the deal, the restriction will only affect new claimants, while those already on the benefit will continue to receive it. The move has raised the prospect of tax rises in the autumn budget. There has been speculation that the fiasco surrounding the reversal and its financial repercussions may have contributed to Ms Reeves' tears in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Analysis of Government data shows that since January 2020, the number of Pip cases for mental health problems has soared considerably faster than for other ailments. Overall Pip claims have increased by 55 per cent, whilst those citing mental health have increased by 70 per cent. Last year, the government spent £26.5 billion on the benefit, including around £3.5 billion for anxiety, ADHD and depression alone. By 2029-30, the total cost is expected to approach £35 billion, according to the Department for Work and Pensions. Telegraph analysis found that around 8.5 per cent of the working-age population are on either Pip or its immediate predecessor, the disability living allowance (DLA). This is up from 4.4 per cent in 2002. Once other disability benefits are included, such as attendance allowance or employment and support allowance, this increases to 10.3 per cent of the working-age population being on some form of sickness or disability support. Of particular concern is the rise in disability benefits being awarded to young adults. Around 5.8 per cent of people aged 16 to 30 now claim either Pip or DLA, up from just 1.7 per cent in 2002. More than one in 25 young adults (4.4 per cent) are claiming for mental health. The vast range of Pip payments, including obscure ones, has also caused concern. In April alone, a total of 10 payouts were awarded for 'Munchausen syndrome', 67 for food intolerance, 16 for 'old age' and almost 17,000 for alcohol and drug misuse. In 2024-25, an average of 2,656 new registrations for Pip were made everyday in England and Wales, with about 1,262 of those claims then being approved. Of those, an average of 531 a day were for psychiatric disorders, 341 for bone and joint issues and 121 for neurological disorders.
