People who struggle to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are set to be offered additional support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the government body has announced.
PIP aims to help those who need additional help with the costs of ongoing medical expenses or disabilities.
The payments are independent of the recipient's income and aren't impacted by any savings they may have.
It can also be claimed on top of any other financial help from government benefits, like Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance.
However, the process surrounding the PIP can be difficult, which is why the additional help is available.
Some people who are eligible to claim PIP may also have a Personal Acting Body, or PAB - someone who is formally nominated to act on the recipient's behalf - and in this scenario the additional help from the DWP will not be available.
Those without a PAB will need to be identified as in need of additional support.
The DWP have released guidance, saying: "In some cases, however, claimants may not be able to engage effectively with the claims process, due to reduced mental capacity or insight – for example, they may not understand the consequences of not returning a claim form and not have a PAB to help them.
"In the PIP journey, such claimants are considered to require additional support from DWP and elements of the PIP claims process have been adapted to provide further support for this group."
With this additional help, claimants would be able to receive their payments having only sent off the necessary paperwork and wouldn't be required to attend a face to face meeting.
Consultations will still need to be organised if the correct documents haven't been completed.
The conditions whereby a claimant might be regarded as unable to engage as with the claims process and would in turn need extra help are listed below.
Which mental health issues qualify you for extra PIP help?
- Severe depression - this will need evidence, which could include: previous hospitalisation due to depression, support from mental health groups in the community, a psychiatrist having had provided support or other mental health practitioner
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Psychosis
- Schizophrenia
- Personality disorders
Which behavioural conditions mean you can have extra PIP help?
- Severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Conduct disorder
Which learning disabilities qualify you for extra PIP support?
- Down syndrome
- Fragile X syndrome
Developmental disorders that qualify you for PIP help
- Severe autistic spectrum disorder
- Developmental delay
- Speech or language disorders
Which dementia or cognitive disorders qualify you for extra help?
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia with Lewy bodies
- Vascular dementia
- Dementia associated with other conditions such as Parkinson’s disease
- Severe brain injury resulting in cognitive decline
Any physical health impairments may occur in addition to the conditions listed in this article, as can any that exacerbate them.
PIP is comprised of two possible elements, with claimants entitled to payments for both or either daily living or mobility.
Mobility payments are £62.55 per week, while the daily living expense is £89.60.
