1. An introduction to Personal Independence Payment for support organisations (Abridged Version)
15 February Version V4

2. What is Personal Independence Payment?
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a new benefit to help disabled people live full, active and independent lives.
It will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from 8 April 2013.
PIP will help towards some of the extra costs arising from having a long term condition (this means ill-health or disability expected to last 12 months or longer).
It is based on how a person's condition affects them, not the condition they have. PIP has a 3 month qualifying period and 9 month prospective test

3. What is Personal Independence Payment? (continued)
PIP will be made up of two components – daily living and mobility, each can be paid at standard rate, or enhanced rate for those with the greatest needs.
PIP is a benefit people can get whether they are in or out of work.
It is not affected by income or savings and is not taxed.
PIP has links to passported benefits where possible
Entitlement to PIP will be decided based on assessment criteria which consider the ability to carry out a range of everyday activities

4. Components, eligibility and the assessment criteria
PIP will be made up of two components – daily living and mobility
Each can be paid at standard rate, or enhanced rate for those with the greatest needs
The PIP assessment criteria will consider the individuals ability to carry out a range of everyday activities
Individuals will receive a point score for each activity, depending on how well they can carry them out and the help they need to do them
The total scores for each component determine whether a component is payable, and if so, whether at the standard or enhanced rate
Daily Living
Mobility
Enhanced
Standard
Not Entitled
12 points
8 points
Daily Living Components (activities 1-10)
Standard rate = 8 points
Enhanced rate = 12 points
Mobility Components (activities 11-12)
Standard rate = 8 points
Enhanced rate = 12 points
Activity
1. Preparing food
2. Taking Nutrition
3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
4. Washing and bathing
5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence
6. Dressing and undressing
7. Communicating verbally
8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
9. Engaging with other people face to face
10 Making budgeting decisions
Standard
0 - 8
0 - 10
0 - 12
0 - 6
Activity
11.Planning and following a journey
12 Moving around
Standard
0 - 12

5. Who are the assessment providers?
The PIP assessment process will be managed by two assessment providers:
Atos Healthcare - Scotland, North East and North West of England, London and Southern England
Capita Business Services Ltd – Wales and Central England and Northern Ireland

6. What is the Personal Independence Payment Assessment?
The PIP assessment considers people as individuals, focussing on the impact their condition(s) has on their daily lives and over a range of different activities
The PIP assessment is carried out by health professionals who consider evidence provided by the claimant, along with any further evidence they think is needed against a set of assessment criteria
Most people will be asked to a face-to-face consultation with a health professional as part of the assessment process
Claimants will be encouraged to take somebody with them to the consultation
Face-to-face consultations may not be necessary for everyone – for example, those who are terminally ill may not have to have them
Home visits will be available when necessary
The health professional will send a report to the DWP following the assessment, for the DWP Case Manager to make a decision.

7. New Claims start in April 2013
New Claims to PIP will be taken from people living in Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, North East England and North West England
June
2013
New claims national rollout

8. Reassessment starts in October 2013
DWP will start to invite some existing DLA recipients to claim PIP. DWP will write to those individuals who
- are reaching the end of a fixed period DLA award
are about to turn 16
inviting them to claim PIP
Those existing DLA claimants who report a change in their condition will be invited to claim PIP
DLA recipients who contact DWP wishing to claim PIP will be able to do so (self selectors)
October
2015
DWP will start to reassess remaining DLA claimants who were aged between 16 and 64 on the day that PIP was introduced (8 April 2013)
Once selected for reassessment, claimants will be asked to claim PIP:
- if they do, then their DLA award will normally continue until a decision on the PIP is made
- if they don’t claim PIP then their DLA claim will end

9. 1 2 3 4 5 How is Personal Independence Payment claimed?
Thinking about claiming
Information about PIP will be available from a range of sources, including online, via leaflets and through support organisations.
Existing DLA claimants will be contacted individually to ask if they want to claim PIP. 1
Making a claim
Claimants (or those supporting them) phone DWP to make a claim to PIP. Paper claims won’t normally be used, and online claims will not be available before 2014.
DWP will send claimants a form where they can explain how their disability affects them.
Special Rules claims will be dealt with more quickly 2
How your disability affects you
Claimant completes the ‘How your disability affects you’ form to explain how their condition affects their daily life, both on good and bad days and over a range of activities.
Supporting evidence can be sent with this form, which they return to DWP by post. 3
Assessment
Claim details, form and supporting evidence are passed to the health professional.
Most people will be asked to attend a face to face consultation The health professional reviews the claim against a set of clear descriptors to assess the challenges faced by the individual. 4
Decision
A DWP Case Manager will use all the information in the claim form, from the health professional and anything else that has been provided. They will make a reasoned decision on entitlement, including the level and length of award. 5

10. What happens after a decision is made about Personal Independence Payment?
Disallowance/reduced award phone call
After the decision letter is issued, a DWP Case Manager will contact the claimant to explain the decision – where PIP has not been awarded or where the award is lower than the DLA award in reassessment cases
Awards and Reviews
PIP awards will be based on the claimant’s circumstances and the impact of their disability/health condition; the length of award will be included in the decision letter along with when and how changes in circumstances need to be reported
There will be fewer ongoing awards; more awards of shorter duration (eg 2, 5, 10 years)
Awards will be reviewed at pre-determined intervals to see if the claimant’s needs have changed over time and to make sure their award is still correct
When someone’s award comes to an end, they can decide to make a further claim to PIP, if they still have needs arising from their health condition or disability

11. What happens after a decision is made about Personal Independence Payment? (continued)
Disputes
PIP has a reconsideration process which claimants will have to follow before they can appeal against a decision
From April 2013, disputes about PIP decisions will come under new arrangements DWP is introducing
This means that if someone is not happy with their PIP decision:
The first mandatory step is for the decision to be reconsidered by the DWP case manager
If the issue is not resolved at the reconsideration stage there is a right to appeal
Appeals must be lodged directly with Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)

13. All about Personal Independence Payment
Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
All about Personal Independence Payment
[intro]
Content
>> Quick guide to PIP (pdf)
>> Conditions of Entitlement (pdf)
>> Assessment Criteria (pdf)
>> Differences and Similarities between PIP and DLA (pdf)
>> Passporting (pdf)

14. Implementing Personal Independence Payment
Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
Implementing Personal Independence Payment
[intro]
Content
>> PIP Timetable (pdf) >> Introducing PIP for new claimants from April (pdf)
>> Reassessing existing DLA claimants for PIP from October (pdf)
>> PIP calculator (pdf)
>> When DWP forms and leaflets will be available

15. Personal Independence Payment Claimant Journey
Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
Personal Independence Payment Claimant Journey
[intro]
Content
>> Claimant journey outline (pdf)
>> How to Claim PIP (pdf)
>> How to fill in the form ‘How your disability affects you’ (pdf)
>>Assessment Process and Providers (pdf)
>> Decision and Payment (pdf)
>> Reviewing PIP awards (pdf)

17. Personal Independence Payment Specific Circumstances
Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
Personal Independence Payment
Specific Circumstances
[intro]
Content
>> Special Rules for Terminally Ill People (pdf)
>> Supporting young people (pdf)
>> People approaching 65 (pdf)
>> Supporting people in vulnerable situations (pdf)
>> Disputes (pdf)

20. Personal Independence Payment tools for you to use
Toolkit for support organisations and advisers
Personal Independence Payment tools for you to use
[Intro text]
Editorial
>> Introduction text – under 100 words (on page content)
>> Short text – under 250 words (on page content)
>> Medium text – about 600 words (on page content)
>> Long text – about 1000 words (on page content)
Presentations
>> An introduction to PIP for support organisations and advisers (PowerPoint)
Printable material
>> Information posters (PowerPoint)
>> A quick guide to PIP for support organisations and advisers (pdf)
>> A quick guide to PIP for Local Authorities (pdf)