Personal Independence Payment
From 2013 the Government is proposing to introduce a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment for eligible working age people aged 16 to 64 to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
The intention is that Personal Independence Payment will focus support to those individuals who experience the greatest challenges to remaining independent and leading full, active and independent lives.
On this page:
The short address for this page is: www.dwp.gov.uk/pip
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.
We are putting disabled people at the heart of the development of Personal Independence Payment. This includes:
- working with disabled people and their organisations as we develop the new claims and assessment processes
- seeking feedback on our proposals for the draft assessment criteria, which consider an individual’s circumstances and the impact of their health condition or impairment on their everyday life.
The proposals for Personal Independence Payment are included in the Welfare Reform Bill 2011 and are subject to Parliamentary approval.
What the change means
Between 2013 and 2016 everyone aged 16 to 64 receiving DLA will be reassessed to see whether they are entitled to the new Personal Independence Payment.
People entitled to Personal Independence Payment will have their claims transferred over and their DLA will stop.
Those not found to be entitled to Personal Independence Payment will be informed and their DLA will stop. They may be able to claim other benefits.
There are no current plans to replace DLA with Personal Independence Payment for children aged under 16 and people over the age of 65 who are already receiving DLA.
Frequently asked questions
- Personal Independence Payment frequently asked questions (91KB)
(Updated 19 January 2012)
