Personal Independnce Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people who need help because of a long-term illness or disability and people could be eligible for £600.
If you are eligible to apply for the benefit the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will send you a 'How your disability affects you' form in the post.
This form asks about how your condition affects your daily life.
Along with the form, you will also need to provide any supporting information as ‘evidence’ for your claim - this might be a letter from your doctor or social worker.
The form itself is quite straightforward and contains 10 activities for the daily living part and two for the mobility part.
The DWP use your answers to look at whether you can carry out these 12 activities and the amount of help you need to do so - reports the Daily Record.
A score is given for each answer and if your total score for daily living activities is between 8 and 11 you get the standard rate of PIP, and if it's above 12 you'll receive the enhanced rate.
The points system is the same for responses given to the mobility questions.
But, the most common mistake that PIP claimants make when filling in the form, is that the answers aren't detailed enough to accurately reflect how the condition affects them.
The most common reason for this is that claimants are so used to performing an activity or task in a way that works for them, that they don't realise how complicated or difficult it really is.
These 'workarounds' can make a huge difference when it comes to PIP awards and could result in someone receiving no additional financial support or the incorrect amount.
People are advised to not rush completing the form and imagine you are doing the task or activity for the first time ever.
Face-to-face assessments have been suspended since March 17, meaning the chances of a telephone assessment are more likely.
Here are the 10 daily activity question topics and possible maximum scores
- Preparing food - scored out of 8
- Eating and drinking - scored out of 10
- Managing your treatments - scored out of 8
- Washing and bathing - scored out of 8
- Managing your toilet needs - scored out of 8
- Dressing and undressing - scored out of 8
- Communicating - scored out of 12
- Reading - scored out of 8
- Mixing with other people - scored out of 8
- Making budgeting decisions - scored out of 6
Here are the 2 mobility question topics and possible maximum scores
- Planning and following a journey - scored out of 12
- Moving around - scored out of 12
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What are the PIP payment rates?
You can get the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living - standard rate: £59.70
Daily living - enhanced rate: £89.15
Mobility - standard rate: £23.60
Mobility - enhanced rate: £62.25
Here are all the questions on the claim form.
Q1: List your health professionals
You need to give the DWP details of any health professional you've seen about your condition.
Q2: List your conditions, medications and treatments
List all the physical and mental health conditions and disabilities you have and the date they started.
Q3: Preparing and cooking a meal
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to prepare a simple meal for one and heating it on a hob or in a microwave until it's safe to eat.
Q4: Eating and drinking
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to eat and drink.
This means being able to cut up food into pieces, put it in your mouth, chew and swallow it.
You should say if you need prompting or reminding to eat, as well if you have physical difficulties.
Q5: Managing treatments
This question is about how your health condition makes it difficult for you to:
manage your treatments
monitor your own health condition, including your mental health
take action to stop your condition getting worse
Q6: Washing and bathing
This question is about whether your condition makes it difficult for you to wash or bathe in a standard bath or shower that hasn’t been adapted in any way.
It’s also about whether you use any aids or appliances to help you wash or bathe.
Q7: Managing toilet needs
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:
get on and off an unadapted toilet seat
clean yourself afterwards
if applicable, manage your incontinence
Q8: Dressing and undressing
This question is for you to describe any difficulties you have dressing or undressing. This means putting on and taking off unmodified, appropriate clothes - including shoes and socks.
'Appropriate clothes' means clothes that are appropriate for:
the weather
the occasion
the time of day
Q9: Communicating verbally
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:
speak to others so that you're understood
hear and understand what other people are saying to you
Q10: Reading
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:
read information that is a standard text size (not large print)
read signs - for example, emergency exit signs
read indoors and outside
Q11: Mixing with other people
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:
meet people and mix with them
judge situations when you're with other people and behave appropriately
establish relationships with people - for example make friends
Q12: Making decisions about money
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to manage everyday purchases and transactions.
This means things like:
paying in shops and restaurants
budgeting for and paying your bills
budgeting for bigger things such as a TV
Q13: Going out
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:
plan and follow a route to a place you know (it doesn't matter how you get there)
plan and follow a bus or train route to a place you don't know
cope in places that you don't know
if applicable, leave the house because of stress or anxiety
Q14: Moving around
This question is about how your condition makes it difficult for you to:
stand safely without help
walk safely without stopping and without help
Additional information
This is a blank page that you can use if you run out of space on the claim form.
You can also use it to give any additional information you think necessary. There's no right or wrong type of information to include but it's a good idea to use this space to tell the DWP if:
someone had to fill in the form for you and explain why
you filled in the form slowly or with pain
filling in the form caused you anxiety or stress
you're attaching medical evidence to support your claim - for example, a care plan
