The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has unveiled a comprehensive list of 178 medical conditions that qualify individuals for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). This crucial benefit aims to assist those with long-term physical or mental health conditions, disabilities, or learning difficulties, helping them maintain independence and ease the financial burden of daily living expenses.
As of April 2025, there are more than 3.7 million PIP claims in the UK, reflecting a growing need for financial support among people with a variety of medical conditions. The government’s latest data shows that eligible claimants could receive up to £749 every four weeks, depending on their circumstances, making it a vital lifeline for many.
The Role of Personal Independence Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides essential support to those living with long-term conditions that significantly affect their daily lives. Unlike other welfare benefits, PIP is not means-tested, meaning claimants do not need to demonstrate financial need to qualify. The amount received depends on the level of care and mobility support required, with higher payments available for those who need more intensive assistance.
According to the most recent data released by the DWP, eligible individuals can receive weekly payments of either £73.90 or £110.40 for the daily living component, and either £29.20 or £77.05 for the mobility component. If a claimant qualifies for both enhanced components, they could receive a maximum of £749.80 every four weeks. These payments are crucial for helping individuals maintain their independence, particularly as they approach State Pension age.
178 Conditions Now Eligible for PIP
The DWP’s list of 178 qualifying conditions includes a broad range of both physical and mental health issues. Among the most common are mixed anxiety and depressive disorders (407,024 claims), osteoarthritis (285,604 claims), and autistic spectrum disorders (225,344 claims).
Other notable conditions include chronic pain syndromes (179,774 claims), epilepsy (67,839 claims), and breast cancer (27,792 claims). Here is the full list of the 178 medical conditions qualifying for PIP:
- Mixed anxiety and depressive disorders – 407,024
- Osteoarthritis – 285,604
- Autistic spectrum disorders – 225,344
- Specific back pain – 210,415
- Inflammatory arthritis – 186,071
- Chronic pain syndromes – 179,774
- Global learning disability – 170,746
- Mood disorders – 146,983
- Psychotic disorders – 128,324
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – 90,282
- Cerebrovascular disease – 85,621
- Hyperkinetic disorder – 83,187
- Epilepsy – 67,839
- Anxiety disorders – 61,737
- Stress reactions – 61,572
- Other neurological disorders – 59,954
- Multiple sclerosis – 56,254
- Personality disorder – 56,047
- Injuries/fractures/dislocations – 51,497
- Non-specific back pain – 48,978
- Pancreatic disease – 41,142
- Cerebral palsy – 39,916
- Specific learning disorder – 36,207
- Neuropathy – 30,779
- Movement disorders – 29,767
- Ischaemic heart disease – 29,284
- Breast cancer – 27,792
- Cognitive disorders – 26,858
- Asthma – 24,813
- Sensorineural hearing loss – 24,684
- Head injury – 24,355
- Knee disorders – 22,544
- Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract – 22,317
- Genetic disorders, dysplasias, and malformations – 22,225
- Hip disorders – 19,644
- Cancers of the genitourinary tract – 18,339
- Wrist and hand disorders – 18,020
- Diseases of the retina and optic nerve – 18,000
- Neck disorders – 17,841
- Cancers of the haematological system – 17,748
- Amputations – 17,506
- Substance use disorders – 16,817
- Inflammatory bowel disease – 16,465
- Ankle and foot disorders – 15,321
- Visual field defects – 15,200
- Other generalised musculoskeletal diseases – 14,740
- Cardiac failure – 14,584
- Other regional musculoskeletal diseases – 14,528
- Spinal cord compression – 14,501
- Cancers of the respiratory tract – 13,022
- Other diseases affecting vision – 12,596
- Viral diseases – 12,407
- Metabolic and endocrine disorders – 12,404
- Kidney disease – 11,458
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder – 11,208
- Cardiac arrhythmias – 10,426
- Shoulder disorders – 10,320
- Other cardiovascular diseases – 9,613
- Diseases of blood vessels/lymphatics – 9,086
- Headache – 9,008
- Unknown primary – 8,783
- Renal failure – 8,163
- Benign tumours – 8,092
- Spina bifida – 8,047
- Systemic lupus erythematosus – 7,988
- Eating disorders – 7,894
- Non-epileptic disturbance of consciousness – 7,729
- Diseases of the ovary, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva – 7,081
- Diseases of collagen and elastic tissue – 6,816
- Brain and spinal cord cancer – 6,742
- Muscle disease – 6,588
- Peripheral arterial disease – 6,332
- Mixed hearing loss – 6,182
- Muscular dystrophy – 6,077
- Unknown or missing – 6,013
- Other diseases affecting hearing and balance – 5,870
- Peripheral nerve injury – 5,645
- Hypertension – 5,541
- Cirrhosis – 5,475
- Infections – 5,381
- Congenital heart disease – 5,326
- Vasculitis – 5,017
- Peripheral venous disease – 4,947
- Papulosquamous and inflammatory rashes – 4,676
- Ataxia – 4,597
- Upper respiratory tract diseases – 4,582
- Granulomatous lung disease – 4,342
- Obesity – 4,256
- Cardiomyopathy – 4,150
- Other gastrointestinal diseases – 4,044
- Diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum – 3,994
- Thyroid disease – 3,968
- Degenerative neuronal diseases – 3,950
- Glaucoma – 3,871
- Other lower respiratory tract diseases – 3,774
- Aneurysm – 3,476
- Other autoimmune disease – 3,455
- Valve disease – 3,167
- Colon diseases – 3,162
- Cystic fibrosis – 3,106
- Haemolytic disorders – 3,064
- Skin cancers – 3,060
- Pancreas diseases – 2,982
- Irritable bowel syndrome – 2,910
- Liver failure – 2,780
- Diseases of the conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids, and lacrimal apparatus – 2,744
- Conductive hearing loss – 2,674
- Bronchiectasis – 2,660
- Crystal deposition disorders – 2,649
- Hydrocephalus – 2,564
- Eye movement disorders – 2,489
- Small bowel diseases – 2,270
- Other skin diseases – 2,193
- Fracture complications – 2,051
- Cancers of bone – 2,030
- Abdominal hernias – 1,936
- Multisystem – 1,930
- Somatoform and dissociative disorders – 1,872
- Diseases of the bladder, urethra, prostate, testes, and penis – 1,823
- Cataract – 1,765
- Pulmonary fibrosis – 1,748
- Urinary incontinence – 1,725
- Clotting disorders – 1,680
- Blood disorders – 1,653
- Anaemia – 1,529
- Pulmonary embolus – 1,490
- Adrenal disease – 1,457
- Sjogren’s syndrome – 1,382
- Bacterial diseases – 1,346
- Elbow disorders – 1,190
- Antiphospholipid syndrome – 1,187
- Osteonecrosis and osteochondritis – 1,179
- Infections and parasites – 1,170
- Systemic sclerosis – 1,168
- Conduct disorder – 1,166
- Diseases of the rectum and anus – 1,115
- Hypothalamic and pituitary disease – 1,104
- Other sarcomas – 989
- Chronic hepatitis – 983
- Other psychiatric disorders of childhood – 925
- Disease of gallbladder and biliary tract – 912
- Refractive errors – 759
- Burns – 728
- Other endocrine diseases – 718
- Hypersensitivity diseases – 714
- Other genitourinary disease – 682
- Uveitis – 675
- Other diseases of the immune system – 674
- Infectious diseases of the respiratory tract – 652
- Other metabolic diseases – 635
- Liver transplantation – 624
- Injuries – Visual – 603
- Other cancers – 593
- Disease of the pleura – 586
- Platelet disorders – 572
- Other infectious diseases – 563
- Bullous disease – 559
- Metabolic red cell disorders – 444
- Benign tumours of bone – 400
- Parathyroid disease – 367
- Inborn errors of metabolism – 311
- Congenital disorders of the GI tract – 304
- Heart transplantation – 291
- Vitreous disease – 252
- Pericarditis – 237
- Pneumoconiosis – 209
- Amyloidosis – 156
- Lung transplantation – 144
- Hyperlipidaemia – 141
- Benign tumours of the gastrointestinal tract – 107
- Cancers of the adrenal gland – 103
- Extremes of age – 69
- Faecal soiling (encopresis) – 63
- Porphyria – 57
- Heart and lung transplantation – 44
- Enuresis – 40
- Factitious disorder – 23
- Protozoal diseases – 16
The inclusion of so many conditions underscores the importance of PIP as a flexible support system designed to assist a wide range of people facing long-term challenges. This financial assistance plays a critical role in enabling individuals to maintain autonomy and access the necessary resources to manage their conditions. By expanding eligibility to cover a wider spectrum of conditions, the government ensures that more people receive the financial assistance they need to live independently.
