According to the most recent Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates, 3.5 million persons in the UK were claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as of the end of January 2024. According to the data, more than 650,800 people over the State Pension age get disability payments.
Pension Age PIP Recipients Set for Cash Boost
During the fiscal year 2024/25, thousands of people above the State Pension age in Scotland, England, and Wales will receive between £114.80 and £737.20 per four-week pay period.
It is crucial to note that new applications for PIP have been substituted in Scotland by Adult Disability Payment (ADP), thus the figures may rise when more existing claimants are transferred from the DWP to the autonomous Social Security Scotland IT system.
Many people approaching State Pension age may be unaware of a change in PIP guidance in 2019 that states "claimants whose review would have taken place when they were of State Pension age means that they are now generally awarded ongoing awards".
Award types and review periods are determined on an individual basis, taking into account the claimant's needs and the possibility that they will change. It considers factors such as planned treatment/therapy or learning/adapting to cope with a condition.
PIP Awards
The DWP's guidelines indicate:
- For fixed length awards, the review period typically runs from a minimum of nine months to a maximum of ten years.
- Review periods of fewer than nine months are established only in extraordinary circumstances.
- Short-term awards are those that last two years or less.
Combined incomes
The full New State Pension is now valued £221.20 per week (£884.80 each four-week pay period), while the Basic State Pension is worth up to £169.50 (£678 per four-week pay period) - the amount you receive is determined by your National Insurance contributions.
Although payments for State Pension, PIP, and ADP are made individually, they can offer a total monthly income of up to £1,622 if someone receives the full New State Pension and the highest PIP or ADP award for daily living and mobility.
PIP and ADP payment rates for 2024/25
You will need an evaluation to determine the amount of financial assistance you will receive, and your rate will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure you are receiving the appropriate support. Payment is made every four weeks.
PIP consists of two components:
- Daily living
- Mobility
The severity of your ailment determines whether you receive one or both of these, as well as the amount.
Depending on your situation, you will receive the following weekly payments:
Daily living
- Standard rate is £72.65.
- Enhanced rate is £108.55.
Mobility
- Standard rate is £28.70.
- Enhanced rate is £75.75.
PIP, ADP, and State Pension Age
When a person achieves the State Pension age, they are no longer eligible to submit new claims for PIP, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), or ADP.
However, if someone is currently receiving PIP, DLA, or ADP when they attain State Pension age, they will continue getting the benefit until the award period ends, at which point it will be evaluated in accordance with the standard process.
People who reach State Pension age and are no longer claiming any working-age disability benefits may be able to reclaim them, as long as they are claiming for the same health conditions for which they were initially awarded, and their last claim ended less than 12 months before reaching State Pension age.
Individuals above the State Pension age who contend with medical conditions, long-term illnesses, or disabilities may qualify for the Attendance Allowance. This financial support, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), offers weekly payments ranging from £61.85 to £92.40.
Who can receive ADP or PIP benefits?
In order to qualify for PIP or ADP, you need to have a medical condition or impairment where you:
- have faced difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
- anticipate these difficulties to persist for a minimum of 9 months
Typically, applicants must have resided in the UK for at least two out of the last three years and be present in the country at the time of application.
If your condition requires assistance with any of the following, you may be eligible for PIP or ADP benefits.
- Preparing, cooking, or consuming food
- Managing medication.
- Washing, bathing, dressing, and conversing with others.
- Reading and analysing textual information, making financial decisions, organising travel routes, and moving about.