Most people ‘won’t qualify for PIP under new rules’

Most people applying for personal independence payments (PIP) won’t qualify for standard daily living awards under proposed changes, a freedom of information request suggests. 

From November 2026, people will have to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to qualify for the daily living part of PIP.  

This only relates to the daily living part and won’t affect the mobility part of PIP. 

But benefits information provider Benefits and Work believes this “seemingly small change to the scoring system” will lead to the “virtual abolition of the standard rate”. 

What the data shows 

Benefits and Work submitted a freedom of information request to the government to find out how many people currently on PIP wouldn’t qualify under the new rules. 

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed that as of January 2025, 87% of those on standard daily living awards get fewer than four points in all activities. 

Meanwhile, 13% on enhanced daily living awards get fewer than four points in all activities. 

“Whatever the final number might be, there will be vastly fewer standard rate daily living awards by the time all current awards have been reviewed,” Benefits and Work said.  

“And very few new claims from November 2026 will lead to an award of the standard rate daily living component.” 

The organisation pointed out there are many obstacles that could prevent current PIP claimants getting financial help in the future, such as: 

• limited opportunities for them to increase their scores
• a “very poor” standard of assessments in many cases
• a “long, drawn out and demanding” mandatory revisions and appeals process
• inadequate support for people with health conditions that may limit their ability to pursue appeals 

Why is the government reforming the benefits system? 

The government announced the changes to the PIP eligibility criteria as part of a wider plan to reduce the welfare budget by £5bn by 2030.  

According to DWP: 

• one in 10 people of working age currently claim a sickness or disability benefit
• nearly 1 million young people aren’t in education, employment or training
• 2.8 million aren’t in work because of long-term sickness