PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENT (PIP)

If you or your family member have a long-term ill- health or a disability, you may be entitled to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) you must be aged between 16 and 64.

The amount you receive will depend on how your condition affects you and not on the condition you have.

Your carer may be entitled to Carers Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.

If you received Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

For persons currently receiving DLA, if you were born after 08 April 1948 and are 16 or over; you will stop receiving DLA as it is going to cease. You’ll continue to receive DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) informs you. They may invite you to apply for PIP.

You will however, continue to receive DLA if you’re under 16 or were born before 08 April 1948 and have an existing claim.

You’ll be assessed in order to work out the level of care you receive.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

• be aged 16 to 64
• have along-term health condition or disability and difficulties with activities related to ‘daily living’ and / or mobility
• be in Great Britain when you claim
• have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years
• behabitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• not be subject toimmigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

You might get PIP if you’re living in or coming from another EEA country or Switzerland.

You may receive PIP regardless of whether you are in employment.

Your disability or health condition

You must have a long-term health condition or disability and face difficulties with ‘day- to day activities’ or mobility (getting around).

You must have had these difficulties for 3 months and expect them to last for at least 9 months, unless you’re terminally ill (i.e. you don’t expect to live more than 6 months).

Day-to-day living difficulties- daily living component

These include:

• preparing or eating food
• washing, bathing and using the toilet
• dressing and undressing
• reading and communicating
• managing your medicines or treatments
• making decisions about money
• engaging with other people

Mobility difficulties

You may get the mobility component of PIP if you need help going out or moving around.

How you’re assessed

Your claim will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to work out the level of care you need. This may be a face-to-face consultation.

You’ll be given a score based on how much help you need. The more care you need, the higher the score you’ll get.

DWP will accordingly make the decision about your claim based on the results of the assessment, your application and any supporting evidence you provide.

Your decision

You’ll usually get a decision 3 weeks after your assessment.

You may appeal, in the event that you’re unhappy with the decision reached.

Your rate will be regularly reassessed to make sure you’re getting the right support.

Here at Kingdom Solicitors, we ensure that your claims are dealt with as smoothly and as quickly as possible.