There are a range of conditions that can qualify for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and potentially millions of people could be missing out on more than £600 a month.
You're eligible to claim PIP through a means tested assessment regarding an illness or disability and its impact on your life.
Unlike Universal Credit, PIP isn't impacted by employment, savings or circumstances.
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As the Express reports, a total of 19 conditions are eligible to claim the benefit with the top claims coming in at £608 a month and is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Those who live with a long term physical or mental health condition or disability can apply for PIP to help cover the extra costs.
Depending on how difficult claimants manage every day tasks, the benefit has two aspects with differing rates.
The daily living part provides for those that need assistance with daily household and personal tasks such as eating, making money decisions or socialising.
At the lower weekly rate, the daily living aspect pays £60 with the higher rate paying £89.60.
The mobility part of PIP is given to claimants in need if assistance navigating outside or within their home or leaving their home.
This part offers lower amounts than the daily living part but claimants are reminded that they do not need to have a physical disability to claim the mobility aspect. The lower rate for the mobility aspect pays £23.70 per week with the higher weekly rate giving £62.55.
However many avoid applying for PIP as it has a notorious reputation of having a strict and difficult application process.
And according to disability equality charity Scope, around seven in 10 applications are rejected.
Currently 2.7million Brits claim PIP, with the charity urging people to continue to apply if they think they are entitled.
Aside from a long-term condition that should be expected to last for a minimum of 12 months, there are very little eligibility criteria.
You have to over 16 years old or older but below the State Pension age and live in England, Scotland or Wales.
Claimants must also have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for two of the last three years unless they have recently returned from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
There are a range of general categories that the DWP lists the main disabilities being claimed for, which are as follows:
- Haematological Disease - 5,877
- Infectious disease - 4,718
- Malignant disease - 79,073
- Metabolic disease - 4,279
- Psychiatric disorders - 995,774
- Neurological disease - 352,701
- Visual disease - 50,852
- Hearing disorders - 28,677
- Cardiovascular disease - 66,474
- Gastrointestinal disease - 21,879
- Diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract - 8,902
- Skin disease - 16,955
- Musculoskeletal disease - 882,904
- Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders) - 18,155
- Genitourinary disease - 18,942
- Endocrine disease - 30,083
- Respiratory disease - 116,479
- Multisystem and extremes of age - 928
- Diseases of the immune system - 851
