Disability benefits if you're under State Pension age

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is available to people living in England and Wales. You may qualify if you:

• are under State Pension age OR are over State Pension age, but you have previously received PIP
• have difficulties with daily activities and/or mobility because of a disability or long-term physical or mental health condition.

Daily activities include:

• washing and bathing
• getting dressed and undressed
• managing toilet needs or incontinence
• preparing and/or eating food
• taking nutrition
• managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
• reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
• communicating verbally
• engaging with others face to face
• making budgeting decisions.

For a full list of daily activities, see our Disability benefits for adults under State Pension age factsheet.

Mobility means:

• planning and following a journey
• moving around.

When you are assessed, you will receive points for each daily living activity and each mobility component depending on how well you can manage and how much help you need. These points will help the DWP work out how much financial help you qualify for.

PIP has replaced DLA. If  you receive DLA and were: 

• born before 9th April 1948: this change won’t affect you and you’ll stay on DLA for as long as you remain entitled to it 
• born on or after 9th April 1948, you’ll eventually be invited to apply for PIP instead. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will tell you when to do this. If you don't apply when invited, your DLA will stop.

If you’re receiving DLA, you shouldn't apply for PIP until you’re contacted by the DWP, because there’s no guarantee you’ll be awarded PIP, and you risk losing your DLA. If you don’t qualify for PIP, you should apply for Attendance Allowance instead. 
If you want to claim PIP before you're invited, get advice first: if you’re under State Pension Age, contact your local Citizens Advice; if you’re over State Pension Age, call our Helpline on 0800 319 6789.

Call the PIP new claims helpline. They’ll ask you for some basic details and fill in the basic PIP1 claim form over the phone with you. If you meet the basic eligibility criteria, you'll be sent the PIP2 application form. 

You can also apply by post by writing to:

Personal Independence Payment New Claims
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1AH

You will be sent a form to fill out with basic information, including your address and your age. After you’ve sent it back, you’ll receive the PIP2 application form. 

You cannot start a PIP claim online.

When you fill in the PIP2 application form, give as much detail as you can about how your condition affects you. For tips on filling in the application form, see our factsheet Disability Benefits for adults under State Pension Age.

If you need help completing the application form, preparing for assessments or challenging a decision, contact our Helpline or Citizens Advice. You can also ask the DWP for help if your disability or health condition makes it difficult for you to make a claim or attend meetings – for example, if you have problems reading or filling in a form, using a phone or computer, or understanding complex information. Find out more about the help available on Gov.uk.

Once your claim form has been assessed, you may have to have an assessment – this could be  face-to-face, over the phone or via a video call. The DWP will send you a letter with all the information you need about your assessment (if you need one). Citizens Advice has a useful guide to help you prepare for an assessment.

The DWP has put together a series of videos explaining the key stages in applying for PIP. These include advice on what you need to send to support your claim and information about what should happen at your assessment.

The DWP will write to you to let you know the outcome of your claim and, if successful, how much you have been awarded for the Daily Living and Mobility components. How much you can get depends on how many points you score.

If you’re turned down for PIP, you have one month to challenge the decision from the date on the decision letter. If you miss this one month deadline, then contact your local Citizens Advice for advice as soon as you can. It may be possible to still challenge the decision after one month.

For more information, see our factsheet What to do if you disagree with a benefits decision.

If you have been told that you may have 12 months or less to live, your claim will be processed more quickly, and you will not have to attend a face-to-face assessment or complete a PIP2 application form. Your doctor or consultant will need to complete a DS1500 form with information about your condition to send to the DWP.

Adult Disability Payment (ADP) has replaced Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in Scotland. 
If you already receive PIP from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), you do not need to apply for ADP because your benefit will be moved automatically. 

If you already receive DLA, your date of birth will determine what happens to your payment. If you were born:

• on or before 8th April 1948, you will keep getting your regular DLA payments until your benefit changes to ADP
• after 8th April 1948, your award will move to Social Security Scotland if:
  • you report a change to your disability or condition
  • you ask to switch to Adult Disability Payment
  • your DLA award ended or was renewed from summer 2022.

No matter your date of birth, there should be no gaps in your payment. 

You may qualify for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) if you have a terminal illness or if you have difficulties with daily activities and/or mobility because of a disability or long-term health condition. 

Daily activities include:

• washing and bathing
• getting dressed and undressed
• managing toilet needs or incontinence
• preparing and/or eating food
• taking nutrition
• managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
• reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
• communicating verbally
• engaging with others face to face
• making budgeting decisions.

Mobility means:

• planning and following a journey
• moving around.

You will receive points for each daily living activity and each mobility component depending on how well you can manage and how much help you need. These points will help Social Security Scotland work out how much financial help you qualify for.

You can also visit mygov.scot to check if you qualify to apply for ADP.

Call Social Security Scotland. An adviser will ask you for some basic details and fill in the first part of the application form over the phone with you. If you meet the basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent the second part of the application form. 
You can also apply online at mygov.scot. There is an option to apply in a language other than English – just call Social Security Scotland and they will provide an interpreter for over 100 languages. Make sure to finish the first part of the application within two weeks of starting, and the second part within eight weeks.
When you fill in the form, either online or by paper, give as much detail as you can about how your condition affects you. For tips on filling in the application form, see our factsheet Disability benefits for adults under State Pension age.

If you need help completing the application form, an adviser from Social Security Scotland’s local service can come to your home. They offer other kinds of support, including assistance through an independent advocate if you have a physical or learning disability, or a mental health condition. Call Social Security Scotland or contact Citizens Advice Scotland to learn more. 

Social Security Scotland will send you a letter called a notice of determination with the decision about your application. Your decision letter will tell you if your claim has been successful, and if successful, how much you have been awarded for the Daily Living and Mobility components. Your claim may be turned down, or you could be awarded one component or awarded both components.

If you’ve been told you may have 12 months or less to live, your claim will be processed more quickly (this should be within seven days) and you will only need to complete one part of the application process. You can complete this over the phone.

For 2023/24, the rates are the same for PIP and ADP. 
There are two different rates for each component. You may be able to receive one or both components, depending on how many points you score in your assessment.

Daily Living Component weekly rate

If you have a life-limiting illness, you’ll automatically qualify for the higher daily living rate. 

Mobility Component weekly rate

If you receive the higher rate mobility component, you may be able to exchange it to hire or buy a car, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability scheme.

You don’t have to spend your payment on care – it’s up to you how you spend the money. Being awarded PIP or ADP won’t reduce the amount you receive from other benefits – these benefits are not means-tested, which means you can receive them regardless of your income or savings.

If you’re awarded the mobility component for either PIP or ADP, it could also unlock other benefits such as a free bus pass, a Blue Badge to help with parking, and the ability to lease mobility equipment. 
If you are awarded ADP, you could also qualify for increased support and housing for your carer, among other benefits. Visit mygov.scot for more information about additional benefits.
For more information about additional benefits when receiving the mobility component for PIP, visit Gov.uk.