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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Linda Howard & Jack Thurlow

PIP benefits of £156 a week tax-free for 87 muscle or joint injuries

PIP benefits of up to £156 a week tax-free could be available for people suffering from musculoskeletal conditions and injuries in 87 different muscles or joints. Musculoskeletal conditions and disorders that affect the human body’s movement or musculoskeletal system such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs and blood vessels.

Arthritis is a general term that refers to many of these different conditions. Some common musculoskeletal conditions include osteoarthritis, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, gout, polymyalgia rheumatica, lupus and ankylosing spondylitis, as seen in The Daily Record.

If you are over 16 and under State Pension age, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help with a musculoskeletal condition, and if your ability to work is limited due to your symptoms you could be eligible for ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). PIP is being replaced in Scotland by the Adult Disability Payment, which will follow the same eligibility criteria, but will take a more "people-centred approach".

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The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of April, 2022 there were 3 million people across the UK claiming support through PIP, with just over one in three claimants (35%) receiving the highest level of award.

Of the overall total, 313,620 people living in Scotland are now receiving financial support of between £24.45 and £156.90 each week and as the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £97.80 and £627.60 every payment period.

The latest data also shows that Musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis, joint pain and hip disorders increased by 24,122 to 956,701 between January and April.

Breakdown of PIP claimants for musculoskeletal conditions

  • Scotland: 91,984
  • England: 787,082
  • Wales: 77,642
  • Total: 956,701

This is the list of 87 musculoskeletal conditions being supported through PIP to help with either daily living, mobility needs or a combination of both components.

Musculoskeletal conditions - general

Osteoarthritis

  • Osteoarthritis of Hip
  • Osteoarthritis of Knee
  • Osteoarthritis of other single joint
  • Primary generalised Osteoarthritis

Chronic pain syndrome

  • Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Pain syndromes - Chronic - Other / type not known

Inflammatory arthritis

  • Ankylosing spondylitis
  • Arthritis - Psoriatic
  • Arthritis - Reactive
  • Inflammatory arthritis - Other / type not known
  • Juvenile chronic arthritis (Still's disease)
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

Crystal deposition disorders

  • Crystal deposition disorders - Other / type not known
  • Gout
  • Pseudogout

Osteonecrosis and osteochondritis

  • Osteochondritis
  • Osteonecrosis

Metabolic and endocrine disorders

  • Osteomalacia
  • Osteoporosis
  • Other metabolic and endocrine disorders of musculoskeletal system
  • Paget's disease
  • Rickets

Genetic disorders, dysplasias and malformations

  • Achondroplasia
  • Epiphyseal dysplasia - multiple
  • Genetic disorders, dysplasias and malformations - Other / type not known
  • Hereditary multiple exostosis (diaphyseal aclasis)
  • Hypermobility syndrome
  • Marfan's syndrome
  • Osteogenesis imperfecta

Benign tumours of bone

  • Tumours of bone - benign

Fracture complications

  • Compartment syndrome (Volkmann's ischaemia)
  • Fracture complications - Other / type not known
  • Sudek's atrophy

Other generalised musculoskeletal conditions

  • Generalised musculoskeletal disease - Other / type not known

Musculoskeletal conditions - regional

Shoulder disorders

  • Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
  • Rotator cuff disorder
  • Shoulder disorders - Other / type not known
  • Shoulder instability

Elbow disorders

  • Elbow disorders - Other / type not known
  • Golfers elbow (medial epicondylitis)
  • Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

Wrist and hand disorders

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Dupuytrens contracture
  • Tendon lesions
  • Tenosynovitis
  • Wrist and hand disorders - Other / type not known

Neck disorders

  • Cervical disc lesion
  • Cervical spondylosis
  • Neck disorders - Other / type not known
  • Whiplash injury

Non specific back pain

  • Back pain - Non specific (mechanical)

Specific back pain

  • Back pain - Specific - Other / type not known
  • Kyphosis
  • Lumbar disc lesion
  • Lumbar spondylosis (OA spine)
  • Schuermann's disease
  • Scoliosis
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Spondylolisthesis

Hip disorders

  • Dislocation of the hip - congenital
  • Hip disorders - Other / type not known
  • Perthes disease
  • Slipped upper femoral epiphysis

Knee disorders

  • Bursitis
  • Chondromalacia patellae
  • Knee disorders - Other / type not known
  • Ligamentous instability of knee
  • Meniscal lesions
  • Osgood schlatters disease
  • Osteochondritis dissecans
  • Patellar dislocation - Recurrent

Ankle and foot disorders

  • Ankle and foot disorders - Other / type not known
  • Club foot (talipes)
  • Fore foot pain (Metatarsalgia)
  • Hallux valgus /rigidus

Amputations

  • Amputation - Lower limb(s)
  • Amputation - Upper limb(s)
  • Amputations - Upper & Lower limb/s

Injuries/fracture/Dislocation

  • Abdomen - Injuries/Fra
  • Fracture/Dislocation of
  • Lower limb - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
  • Multiple - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation
  • Pelvis - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
  • Spine - Injuries/Fracture/Dislocation of
  • Thorax - Injury/Fracture/Dislocation of
  • Upper limb - Injury/Fracture/Dislocation of

Other regional musculoskeletal disease

  • Musculoskeletal disease - Regional / Localised - Other / type not known

Who is eligible for PIP?

You do not need to have a carer or have someone helping you to qualify for PIP and you could receive between £24.45 and £156.90 every week - as PIP is paid every four weeks this amounts to between £97.80 and £627.60 every pay period.

PIP is not taxable or means-tested and you don’t need to have paid National Insurance contributions to get it.

You can also claim whether you’re in work or not.

It doesn’t matter if you have any savings or if you are receiving any other benefits. In fact an award for PIP can lead to higher levels of certain benefits being paid and also open the door to other benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance and a Council Tax Reduction.

Find out if you can claim PIP by looking at the criteria set out by the DWP below.

You do not need to have worked or paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for PIP, and it does not matter what your income is, if you have any savings or if you’re in or out of work.

You must also have a health condition or disability where you:

  • have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for three months

  • expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months

The DWP will judge the eligibility of your PIP claim on a period of 12 months, looking back for three months and forward for nine months - they must consider if your illness changes over time.

You usually need to have lived in Scotland for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.

PIP daily living and mobility test

If you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP:

  • preparing, cooking or eating food

  • managing your medication

  • washing, bathing or using the toilet

  • dressing and undressing

  • engaging and communicating with other people

  • reading and understanding written information

  • making decisions about money

  • planning a journey or following a route

  • moving around

What is classified as ‘help’ for a PIP claim

You are classified as needing help to do an activity if you need a person or a device to:

  • Do it for you

  • Do it with you

  • Remind you to do it

  • Watch you do it to keep you safe

You may also be classified as needing help if you do an activity yourself but:

  • You are not safe

  • You cannot complete the task well enough

  • You cannot complete the task often

  • It takes you a long time

PIP test scoring criteria

The PIP scoring criteria awards points for a statement which applies to you for each activity

The DWP will decide which statement best fits your situation most of the time. You will get a set amount of points ranging from 0 -12 for each activity.

The total number of points you get for each group of activities will decide whether you are entitled to PIP, and how much money you will receive.

To get the standard rate daily living component, you need to score between 8 to 11 points in total for the daily living activities. You need 12 points to get the enhanced rate.

To get the standard rate mobility component, you need to score between 8 to 11 points in total for the mobility activities. You need 12 points to get the enhanced rate.

How is PIP paid?

PIP is usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid every week.

PIP will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account.

What are the PIP payment rates for 2022/23?

PIP is made up of two components - daily living and mobility.

Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.

You could receive the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:

Daily living

  • Standard rate - £61.85

  • Enhanced rate - £92.40

Mobility

  • Standard rate - £24.45

  • Enhanced rate - £64.50

How you are assessed

You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP work out the level of help you need.

Face-to-face assessments will be offered alongside telephone and video based assessments. All assessments will follow strict public health guidelines and put the safety of the claimant first.

For people applying for Adult Disability Payment, there are several changes to the assessment process including the removal of face-to-face assessments - find out more here.

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