Updated 8 April 2013
Personal Independence Payment
On 8 April 2013 the Government introduced a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for eligible working age people aged 16 to 64.
PIP is being introduced in stages. You can find out more about PIP, including when and how people can claim it on the how PIP affects people (GOV.UK) checker on gov.uk or use the PIP postcode map in the PIP toolkit for support organisations.
The Government is committed to supporting disabled people to lead independent and active lives. It recognises that disabled people can face additional challenges to leading independent lives and is committed to maintaining an extra-cost, non-means-tested disability benefit to support disabled people.
- PIP Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
- What the change means
- How PIP is being introduced
- Background to Reform
- Frequently asked questions
- Consultations
- Stakeholder engagement
- More information
The short address for this page is: www.dwp.gov.uk/pip
PIP Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
Claimants seek information about benefits and services from a range of sources other than DWP. This toolkit for support organisations and advisers provides general awareness, fact sheets about PIP, copies of PIP letters and suggested text to use in your own communication. It also includes some practical steps you could consider as part of your preparations for PIP. New information to support the introduction of PIP on 8 April has been published.
What the change means
Disability Living Allowance will end for everyone of working age even if they have an indefinite period award. By working age we mean everyone who is aged 16 to 64 on the day Personal Independence Payment is introduced.
There are no current plans to replace Disability Living Allowance for children under 16 and people aged 65 and over who are already receiving Disability Living Allowance.
Personal Independence Payment is based on an assessment of individual need. The new assessment will focus on an individual’s ability to carry out a range of key activities necessary to everyday life. Information will be gathered from the individual, as well as healthcare and other professionals who work with and support them. Most people will also be asked to a face to face consultation with a trained independent assessor as part of the claim process.
How is PIP being introduced
New claims
Personal Independence Payment is being introduced in stages over a number of years.
- April 2013 – Personal Independence Payment has started for new claims in Merseyside, North West England, Cumbria, Cheshire and North East England. During this period new claimants in all other parts of the country will continue to claim Disability Living Allowance as now.
- June 2013 – new claims for Personal Independence Payment will be taken from all parts of the country.
Existing DLA claimants
Existing Disability Living Allowance claimants who are aged 16 to 64 on 8 April 2013 or reach age 16 after that date will be affected by the introduction of Personal Independence Payment, even if they have an indefinite or lifetime award of DLA.
- October 2013 – if an individual reports a change in how a health condition or disability affects them, they reach the end of an existing award of DLA (and haven’t already received a DLA renewal letter), or they are approaching the age of 16, then we will invite them to claim Personal Independence Payment.
- From 2015 – we will start to contact everyone else receiving DLA (unless they report a change in how their health condition or disability affects them, or if their award is due to end). We will write to individuals in plenty of time and they do not need to contact DWP now.
There is no automatic transfer from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment.
We have written to all existing DLA claimants in February and March 2013 with more information about PIP in their usual annual letters that tell them what their new benefit rate will be.
- Example DLA uprating letter (34KB)
Background to Reform
Disability Living Allowance was introduced in 1992 and has not been fundamentally reviewed or reformed since. There is confusion about the purpose of the benefit, it is complex to claim and there is no systematic way of checking that awards remain correct.
Personal Independence Payment was included in the Welfare Reform Act 2012.
- Welfare Reform Act 2012
- Disability Living Allowance reform – impact assessment (116KB)
- Disability Living Allowance reform – equality impact assessment (134KB)
On 13 December 2012 the Government laid in draft in Parliament the:
- Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013 – these set out the main rules for PIP, including the assessment criteria, and the rates at which the benefit will be paid
We also published the following draft regulations, which remain subject to change:
- Personal Independence Payment (Transitional Provisions) Regulations – these set out how existing DLA claimants will move to PIP
- Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance (Amendment) Regulations – these set out changes to align these benefits with PIP
PIP briefing notes
Personal Independence Payment briefing notes set out key elements of policy and strategy relating to Personal Independence Payment and provide greater clarity on our proposals.
On 13 December 2012 we published:
- Reassessments and impacts (83KB) (updated 8 January 2013 to correct postcodes for the controlled start area) – sets out the timetable for introducing Personal Independence Payment and the latest estimates of the projected caseloads
- Evaluation proposals for Personal Independence Payment (36KB)
Frequently asked questions
We have published answers to some frequently asked questions and a myth buster to provide reassurance over some misunderstandings.
Consultations
We have published three consultations on DLA reform and Personal Independence Payment.
- DLA reform and Personal Independence Payment – completing the detailed design consultation – consultation published 26 March 2012 and Government response published 13 December 2012. This consultation is now closed.
- Personal Independence Payment: assessment thresholds and consultation – consultation published 16 January 2012 and Government response published 13 December 2012. This consultation is now closed.
- Disability Living Allowance reform – consultation and Government response – consultation published 6 December 2010 and Government response published 4 April 2011. This consultation is now closed.
