1. An introduction to Personal Independence Payment for support organisations and advisers
This presentation provides a basic overview of the new benefit for disabled people – Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Speakers’ Brief
This speaker’s brief provides additional information to help you present ‘An Introduction to Personal Independence Payment.’ Please use the presentation and notes as you feel is appropriate for your audience.
If you have any questions about PIP they should be addressed to:
December 2012

2. A new benefit for disabled people is being introduced
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will replace DLA for eligible claimants aged 16 to 64 from 8 April 2013
This includes all new claims and existing DLA claimants aged 16 to 64 on the day PIP is introduced
It is part of a wider reform of the welfare system
It remains non means tested and non taxable, and is payable both in and out of work
It will include an assessment of individual needs and introduces more consistent use of supporting evidence
Slide 2: A new benefit for disabled people is being introduced
DLA has been in place for 20 years, used little independent evidence and had no systematic review to make sure an award still met the claimants’ needs.
The government is reviewing the whole of the welfare system and the replacement of DLA for working age claimants and the introduction of PIP is part of that review.

3. PIP is designed to help with additional costs
PIP is to help towards some of the extra costs arising from ill health or disability
It is based on how a claimant’s condition affects them not on what condition they have
There is a three month qualifying period (the time a condition or ill health has existed before a claim is made) and a nine month prospective test (the amount of time a condition or ill health is expected to last when a claim is made)
Awards will be reviewed to make sure the assessment continues to reflect the claimant’s needs
Reviews will be at appropriate intervals depending on how likely it is for their condition or impairment to change
Slide 3: PIP is designed to help with additional costs
Awards will be based on the extent to which people are able to live independently and participate in society.
There is a 3 month qualifying period (the time a condition or ill health has existed before a claim is made) and a 9 month prospective test (the amount of time a condition or ill health is expected to last when a claim is made).
Claimants who already get DLA and who apply to PIP will not need to meet the qualifying period but will still need to meet the prospective period.
Like DLA, claimants with a terminal illness will not need to meet either period and will be fast tracked to a decision under ‘special rules’, maintaining the short process that focuses on immediate needs.

4. PIP is for working age people
PIP is for people aged from 16 to 64 on or after 8 April 2013
This includes existing DLA claimants who have an indefinite or ‘lifetime’ award
Children (up to 16 years of age) will carry on getting DLA
DWP will contact the parent or guardian of a child before their 16th birthday to let them know they should consider claiming PIP
People aged 65 or over on 8 April 2013 will continue to get DLA as long as they remain eligible
People receiving Attendance Allowance will not be affected by the introduction of PIP
Slide 4: PIP is for eligible claimants (aged 16 to 64)
PIP is a new benefit and is being introduced on 08 April It will apply to all new claimants aged 16 to 64 and existing DLA claimants who are aged 16 to 64 on 8 April 2013.
This means if a claimant is aged between 16 and 64 on 08 April 2013 they will need to claim PIP. DWP will write to them and ask if they want to claim PIP.
There are no automatic entitlements to PIP. If PIP is not awarded existing DLA claimants cannot keep DLA as an alternative.
Because of the time it will take DWP to reassess existing DLA claimants some people may be 65 or over when DWP write to them.
Children will still be able to claim DLA until they are aged 16 when they should apply to PIP. DWP will contact the guardian of a child on DLA before they reach aged 16 to help them understand what action they should take.
People over 65 on 08 April (whether receiving DLA or AA) will not be affected by the introduction of PIP.

5. PIP will be introduced from April 2013
February
2013
April
2013
June
2013
October
2013
DWP will send general information about PIP to all existing DLA claimants in their DLA uprating letters. DLA claimants don’t need to take any action as a result of this letter.
New claims to PIP start for people living in Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, North East England and North West England. When a DLA claim is received from this area, it will be treated as a claim to PIP instead.
DLA new claims continue in all other parts of the country and for existing DLA claimants.
New claims to PIP will start for the remaining parts of the UK. There will be no new claims to DLA for people aged 16 to 64.
From October 2013, DWP will start to reassess existing DLA claimants.
DWP will start reassessment to PIP of fixed period DLA awards coming up for renewal, young people turning 16 or where DLA claimants with indefinite awards report a change in their condition.
October
2015
DWP will begin selecting existing DLA claimants and tell them what they need to do to claim PIP. We will prioritise DLA claimants who have turned 65 after 8 April 2013, when PIP was first introduced.
Slide 5: PIP will be introduced from April 2013 to spring 2016
The first contact DWP will make to any claimant is in February They will send out information to existing DLA claimants in the annual letter that tells claimants the new rate of their DLA.
In April 2013 DWP will take an initial few thousand new claims to PIP including from people living in:
Cheshire
Cumbria
Merseyside
North East England
North West England
New claims to PIP can be made in the rest of the country from June 2013.
From October 2013, we will start to reassess existing DLA claimants. These claims will be handled by Blackpool Benefits Centre.
We’ll start reassessment to PIP of fixed period DLA awards coming up for renewal, young people turning 16 or where DLA claimants with indefinite awards report a change in their condition.
From October 2015 we will invite all remaining claimants in receipt of a DLA award to make a claim to PIP.
We will select recipients of DLA in receipt of an indefinite or fixed term award and notify them about what they need to do to claim PIP. We will prioritise recipients who have turned 65 after 8 April 2013, when PIP was first introduced
If an existing DLA claimant decides to claim PIP then DLA will continue to be paid until a decision on entitlement to PIP is made. If a claimant is found not to be entitled their DLA will stop.
If a claimant is awarded PIP we will ensure there are no gaps between benefit payments, so long as they send us the information we need when we ask for it.

6. PIP has two components with two different rates
Personal Independence Payment is made up of a:
Daily living component
Mobility component
Awards will be made up of one or both of these components
Each component will have two rates:
Standard
Enhanced
Slide 6: PIP has two components with two different rates
If a claimant is awarded PIP, DWP will ensure there are no gaps between benefit payments, as long as a claimant sends in the information when they are asked for it.
The benefit rates to PIP have been announced. They are:
Daily Living Enhanced Rate = £79.15
Daily Living Standard Rate = £53.00
Mobility Enhanced Rate = £55.25
Mobility Standard Rate = £21.00
These rates are provisional until the legislative process is completed in early 2013.

7. The assessment criteria are designed to be objective
The criteria DWP will use to assess people against to PIP will:
Assess disabled people as individuals
Focus on the impact that their health condition or impairment has on their daily lives
Consider the individual’s ability to carry out key everyday activities
Take account of physical, sensory, mental, intellectual and cognitive impairments and developmental needs
Reflect variable and fluctuating conditions
They take into account whether activities can be carried out:
Reliably
Repeatedly
Safely, and
In a timely manner
Slide 7: The assessment criteria are designed to be objective
There are 12 assessment criteria which are being developed in collaboration with a group of independent specialists in health, social care and disability.
The criteria will take some account of the successful use of aids and appliances normally used by the claimant.

8. The proposed entitlement threshold is the level of points needed to make an award of PIP
Daily living component (activities 1-10)
Mobility component (activities 11-12)
Standard rate = 8 points
Enhanced rate = 12 points
Activity
Possible points
1. Preparing food
0-8
11. Going out
0-12
2. Eating and drinking
0-10
12. Moving around
3. Managing your treatments
4. Washing and bathing
5. Managing your toilet needs
6. Dressing or undressing
7. Communicating
8. Reading
0 - 8
9. Mixing with others
10. Making decisions about money
0-6
Slide 8: The proposed entitlement threshold is the level of points needed to make an award of PIP
Points will be awarded depending on the individual’s level of ability and the barriers they face

9. There are five key stages to claiming PIP
Thinking about claiming
Information about PIP will available from a range of sources, including online, via leaflets and through support organisations. This will explain the eligibility criteria and help the claimant decide if they want to claim PIP.
Existing DLA claimants will be contacted individually to ask if they want to claim PIP. 1
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 unless a decision can be reached on the basis of written evidence. Claimants can take someone along for support, this will provide the opportunity to explain their support needs in their own words. Home visits will be available when necessary.
The health professional reviews the claim against a set of clear descriptors to assess the challenges faced by the individual. 4
Making a claim
Claimants (or those supporting them) phone DWP to make a claim to PIP. This involves an identity check and some basic questions. Paper claims won’t normally be used, and online claims should be available from Spring Additional support, such as provision of alternative formats will be available.
A ‘How your disability affects you’ form is then posted to the claimant. 2
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
Slide 9: There are five key stages to claiming PIP
In addition to satisfying the qualifying period and prospective test a person must also satisfy the residence and presence conditions. They must be:
ordinarily resident in Great Britain (GB) and
not be subject to immigration control and
present or treated as present in GB and
satisfy the past presence conditions unless the claim is made because of terminal illness
There are 2 parts to a claim to PIP. In the first part which DWP can take over the phone, a claimant will be asked basic questions to identify them and establish their desire to claim PIP.
The second part allows the claimant to explain in more detail how their condition, disability or ill health affects their daily life and asks questions about each of the assessment criteria as well as leaving space for any other information a claimant wants to include.
They can also send evidence they have from a GP or other professional they see about their disability or health condition, or anyone else who supports you, when they return the form to us by post. They should only send in copies of things they already have available to them. They should not request other documents which might slow down their claim or for which they might be charged a fee – for example from their GP. If we need this we will ask for it ourselves. 3
Telling your story
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.

10. Existing claimants do not need to take any action now
Existing DLA working age claimants will be asked if they want to claim PIP
Existing DLA recipients who are aged between 16 and 64 years old on 08 April 2013 (the day that PIP is introduced) will need to decide if they want to make a claim to PIP
From October 2013 there will be Reassessment to PIP of fixed period DLA awards coming up for renewal, young people turning 16 or where DLA claimants with indefinite awards reports a change in their condition.
From October 2015 all remaining claimants in receipt of a DLA award will be invited to make a claim to PIP. We will select those recipients of DLA in receipt of an indefinite award or a fixed term award , and notify them about what they need to do to claim PIP.
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 claim is made. If they don’t claim PIP then their DLA claim will end.
Existing claimants do not need to take any action now
Slide 10: Existing DLA working age claimants will be asked if they want to claim PIP
There are no automatic entitlements to PIP, even where an indefinite or lifetime DLA award has been made.
From October 2013 there will be Reassessment to PIP of fixed period DLA awards coming up for renewal, young people turning 16 or where DLA claimants with indefinite awards reports a change in their condition.
From October 2015 all remaining claimants in receipt of a DLA award will be invited to make a claim to PIP. We will select those recipients of DLA in receipt of an indefinite award or a fixed term award , and notify them about what they need to do to claim PIP.
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 claim is made. If they don’t claim PIP then their DLA claim will end.

11. There will be an individual assessment
The PIP assessment will involve health professionals who consider the evidence provided by the claimant, along with any further medical evidence
Most people will be asked to a face to face consultation with this health professional as part of the claim process
Claimants can take somebody with them to the consultation
Home visits will be available when necessary
People with severe health conditions or those who are terminally ill are unlikely to be asked to go to a face to face consultation
The health professional will provide advice to a DWP benefit Case Manager
The DWP Case Manager will then use all of this information to decide entitlement to PIP
Slide 11: There will be an independent assessment
Health professionals are people like GPs, nurses or paramedics. They will be fully qualified and claimants will be assessed by a health professional that has the right knowledge and skills for that claimant’s health condition or disability.
Each person applying to PIP will be assessed individually, looking at their personal circumstances and the barriers they face. This is because people’s health conditions or disabilities can affect them in very different ways and some individuals have more than one health condition or disability.
The assessment to PIP is designed to help DWP decide a person’s individual needs and benefit entitlement.
Everyone will be individually assessed against the new entitlement criteria (some people understand these as rules).
The assessment for Personal Independence Payment will make greater use of evidence.
Not all assessments will involve a face to face consultation. People with the most severe health conditions or disabilities, or those who are terminally ill, are unlikely to need to attend a face to face consultation. This will be decided on a case by case basis.
Face to face consultations will involve health professionals who will consider an individual’s personal circumstances to understand how their condition or disabilities affect them. Claimants are encouraged to take someone along to the consultation for support – they can take an active part in the discussion.
The assessor will consider the evidence provided by the claimant and any professional that may support them on a regular basis.
The assessor will not make a decision on entitlement to PIP– they will provide advice to a benefit Case manager at DWP who will then use all of this information to decide entitlement to PIP.

12. There may be an impact on other benefits and services
The reassessment of DLA to PIP, or a new award of PIP may affect other benefits and services including:
Tax Credits (Disability premium up to age 20 where applicable and severe disablement allowance
Disabled Child premium Up to age 20
The Enhanced disability premium (currently payable for DLA Highest rate Care awards)
The Blue Badge scheme
Carers Allowance
The Motability scheme
Public transport concessions, e.g. Freedom Passes
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefit
DWP intend to maintain existing passporting arrangements, wherever possible
Slide 12: PIP may impact other benefits and services
DWP recognise the value additional help that passported benefits, such as the Blue Badge, Carer’s Allowance and Motability schemes, as well as public transport concessions provide.
Where possible existing DLA passporting arrangements will be maintained
Claimants should contact the organisation or department that administers any benefit or service they receive once a PIP decision is made.
Many DLA claimants are receiving other benefits, in particular ESA. IB recipients should have been reassessed for ESA by Spring 2014, but a small number of claimants in the first few months of DLA reassessment may be selected for both ESA reassessment and asked if they want to claim PIP.
DWP are able to identify cases that are likely to need both ESA and PIP assessments in similar timeframes and we will take account of this to avoid the situation of having two assessments close together but where this occurs, claimants will have the option to re-arrange one of their appointments if need be.

13. You can find more information online
More information on PIP for claimants can be found on the Gov.uk internet site:
Slide 13: You can find more information online
The most up to date information from DWP about PIP, for claimants, will always be on the Gov.uk internet site.
If local contact details are available please use this slide to add the information.