What You Need to Know about PIP in 2022

PIP stands for Personal Independence Payment and it is a government benefit that is relevant to disabled people both in and out of work. 

PIP aims to help disabled people deal with the extra barriers and hurdles they face in life. Regardless of how much money they make or have saved already. Rather than being means-tested, as many benefits are, PIP focuses on how difficult your disability makes your life and therefore how much financial compensation you need to make up for this. 

Some people can find it tricky to understand PIP and to know whether they are eligible for it or not. At Careers with Disabilities, we believe in helping disabled people get as much support as they possibly can. So, with that cause in mind, we have created this blog to help you know everything you need to know about PIP in 2022. 

Who is Eligible for PIP Payments?

Anyone over 16 who needs extra help due to a disability, illness or health condition is entitled to claim PIP. The disability or condition must have already affected you for three months and is predicted to affect you for at least a further nine months.

The payment does not cover a specific range of disabilities and conditions, instead, it is tested by how much help a person needs with certain daily activities. How much help you need will determine the extent of your payments and the payments are highly individualised. 

If you are affected by doing any of the following activities, you may be eligible for PIP payments: 

• preparing and cooking food
• eating and drinking
• managing your treatments
• washing and bathing
• managing toilet needs or incontinence
• dressing and undressing
• communicating with other people
• reading and understanding written information
• mixing with others
• making decisions about money
• planning a journey or following a route
• moving around

The help you need might be from another person, carer, piece of equipment, mobility aid, and so on. The PIP payments are intended to reimburse you for the help that you do need so that you aren’t out any of your money due to your disability or health condition. 

How is PIP Paid?

There are two parts to PIP:

• A daily living component
• A mobility component 

You may be entitled to both of these components or only one, depending on your situation. Each of these components is provided on different payment levels or tiers, known as the “standard rate” and the “enhanced rate”. Which rate your payments are on will depend on how much support you need in both areas. If you are “limited” you will be entitled to the standard rate, and if you are “severely limited”, you will be entitled to the enhanced rate.

What is given is determined by a PIP assessment done by DWP. Your limitations will be scored by points which will then form the decision on how much money you should receive. This may then be reviewed again in the future by DWP to ensure that you are getting the right level of support and to examine whether anything needs to be changed. 

PIP is paid weekly. The current rates have recently increased and now stand at:

• The daily living component: £61.85 for the standard rate and £92.40 for the enhanced rate

• The mobility component: £24.45 for the standard rate and £64.50 for the enhanced rate.

You do have the option to appeal the decision made by DWP. If you are unhappy with the rate you have been given, you can request a mandatory reconsideration with the hope of the rate changing. This is particularly successful if you can get supporting evidence from others, such as carers, social workers, and those you work with. 

How to Claim PIP

To claim Personal Independence Payments, you will need to complete the application form. This can be a lengthy process so it is a good idea to ask someone you trust to help you fill it in. 

To get the form, you can ring DWP on 0800 917 2222 to begin the process. They will give you basic information and then send you the application to begin your claim. 

You might be asked for evidence including doctor’s letters, medication scripts, and recommendations from others. 

Getting all the Support You Need as a Disabled Person 

As a working disabled person, you need to make the most of the support available to you. There are more barriers and hurdles in place for disabled people both in and outside of work, so it is okay to take as much support as is given to you.

At Careers with Disabilities, we can help you find all the support you need. We have guides to help you with topics including: 

• Funding, grants, and schemes
• Your rights at work
• Applying for a job as a disabled person
• Finding financial help in your area
• Information for specific conditions and illnesses 

We have all the information you need to figure out what you are entitled to at work as a disabled person and how you might get it.

In addition, we can also help you find jobs that will be the perfect fit for you as a disabled job seeker. Our disability-friendly job board and directory of accessible employers are both great tools to help you get the job of your dreams as a disabled person. 

Anything else you need that isn’t on our site? Give us a shout and we’ll add it.