Britons are encouraged to check if they can qualify for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and get up to £691 a month to help towards their extra costs.
There are more than 540 conditions that can qualify a person to receive the benefit and data from Benefits and Work has revealed which are the most likely to secure an award.
A person has to expect their condition to affect them for at least 12 months from when it started to qualify for the support.
They also have to be affected by it in carrying out daily tasks or in getting around. An applicant may need to have an assessment to determine what level of support they need.
The benefit is not means tested meaning a person’s savings or work situation do not affect their award.
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The study found these conditions are ‘extremely likely’ to get an award:
- Dementia – 94.1 percent
- Motor neurone disease – 97.5 percent
- Down’s syndrome – 99.6 percent
- Creutzfeldt Jacob disease CJD) – 100 percent.
Their research also found awards for arthritis were above the average rate, including:
- Osteoarthritis of other single joint – 56.5 percent
- Osteoarthritis of Knee – 64.2 percent
- Osteoarthritis of Hip – 73.8 percent
- Primary generalised Osteoarthritis – 74.0 percent
- Rheumatoid arthritis – 74.7 percent.
The most commonly recorded disabling conditions included:
- Psychiatric disorders – including anxiety, stress and OCD – 37 percent of claims
- Musculoskeletal disease (general) – including joint pain or arthritic conditions – 20 percent of claims
- Neurological disease – including epilepsy or multiple sclerosis – 13 percent of claims
- Musculoskeletal disease (regional) – including conditions affecting the neck, back or wrists – 12 percent of claims
- Respiratory disease – including asthma and pulmonary fibrosis – four percent of claims.
How much is PIP?
Some 35 percent of all PIP claims at the end of January 2023 were receiving the highest level of award, at £691 a month.
PIP is made up of a daily living component and a mobility component, with a lower and higher payment depending on how much support an individual needs.
These are the current weekly rates:
Daily living component
- Lower – £68.10
- Higher – £101.75.
Mobility component
- Lower – £26.90
- Higher – 71.
PIP has been replaced in Scotland by the Adult Disability Payment. Payment rates are the same with this benefit administered by Social Security Scotland.
