Who can claim PIP

Terraced houses in Norwich, England. — Terraced houses in Norwich. PIP is about how daily life is affected at home, not about where you live or what you own. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

A map of the United Kingdom. PIP covers England and Wales; Northern Ireland runs its own PIP and Scotland uses Adult Disability Payment. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

A desk calendar. PIP's time rules look at the last 3 months and the next 9 months — 12 months in total. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

You can make a new PIP claim if you are aged 16 to State Pension age and you live in England or Wales. PIP is a working-age benefit: you cannot start a new claim after State Pension age (people already receiving PIP when they reach State Pension age are covered on the reviews and changes page).

The time rules

Your difficulties must have lasted for at least 3 months already and be expected to last for at least 9 more months — 12 months in total. This is a forward- and backward-looking test: a short-term difficulty that is expected to clear up quickly does not meet it, even if it is severe right now. If you are claiming under the special rules for terminal illness, different arrangements apply (see below).

Where you live

PIP itself covers England and Wales. Northern Ireland runs its own PIP through the Department for Communities (DfC), and nidirect confirms the same 2026–27 rates apply there. Scotland does not use PIP for new claims: it uses Adult Disability Payment instead. This site gives Scotland only as a pointer — it does not state Adult Disability Payment rates, which are set by Social Security Scotland. If you live in Scotland, start with Social Security Scotland, not with a PIP claim.

You must normally live in the country you claim in, and you should tell DWP or DfC about time spent abroad, because long absences can affect entitlement. The details depend on your situation, so treat any long trip as something to report rather than something to guess about.

What PIP is NOT

Not for children under 16. Children are covered by Disability Living Allowance for children instead.
Not a new claim after State Pension age. At pension age, Attendance Allowance is the usual route for a new claim (it has no mobility component).
Not means-tested. Income, savings, and whether you work do not change the amount.
Not diagnosis-based. PIP is scored on functional effect — what you can and cannot do — not on the name of a condition.
Not a short-term sickness benefit. The 12-month time rule means short difficulties do not qualify, however difficult they are while they last.

Special rules for terminal illness

If a medical professional confirms that you are not expected to live more than 12 months, you can claim under special rules. Under those rules the enhanced daily living component is awarded automatically, without the usual assessment for that component; the mobility component is assessed separately. Ask a medical professional for form SR1, which supports the claim.

Sources

Official sources for the figures on this page: GOV.UK — Personal Independence Payment; nidirect — Personal Independence Payment (Northern Ireland); DWP — Annual Benefits Statistics Compendium 2026.

General information only. This page explains Personal Independence Payment in plain English. It is not legal, financial, or medical advice, and it cannot decide whether you qualify. Only the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) — or the Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland — can decide a claim. Rates and rules change over time; always confirm the current position with GOV.UK before you act on it. Contact: hello [at] tapetoolhq.com.