Planned PIP changes explained

Over the past week or so, the news has been full of the government’s plans for overhauling personal independence payment (PIP). But what will it actually mean for you if you get PIP?

We’ve been through the government’s consultation with a fine-tooth comb to draw out all the key points.

Here’s what it's looking to change:

Deciding who can get PIP

At the moment, a PIP assessment is an opportunity for you to explain how your condition affects you. You get tested and scored on your ability to complete a variety of daily-living and mobility tasks, such as preparing and cooking a simple meal and being able to walk a certain distance without help.

The government is considering changing this so that being able to claim PIP will depend entirely or partly on the diagnosis you’ve been given. In other words, a healthcare professional’s diagnosis will be used rather than your self assessment.

Another option being looked at is keeping the current self-assessment model but changing the questions, with the aim of limiting support to those “with the highest needs and significant ongoing extra costs”.

How long you need to be ill/disabled before claiming

The government is also thinking about making you wait longer before claiming PIP. Currently, you need to have been affected by your condition for three months before applying and you must expect those effects to last for at least another nine months. The government justified plans to increase the waiting time, saying:

“We know many people who have short-term illnesses can make a full recovery.

“We also know that during the early phase of an illness or condition, it is difficult to understand the full impact the condition will have on you.”

The government hasn't said exactly how long it thinks people should have to wait before making a claim.

Changes to what you’ll get

At the moment, you get monthly payments to cover any additional costs incurred as a result of your condition. Basically, you can use this money as you see fit.

The government is concerned that people aren’t spending the money to cover expenses directly connected with their condition, so it's considering replacing monthly cash payments with:

• one-off grants to be used towards significant costs such as home adaptation
• vouchers to cover specific costs
• catalogue/shop scheme where you could get approved items at no cost or a reduced cost
• a receipt-based system where you'd be able to buy certain approved items or services and then provide proof to claim money back from the government

According to the government, this might change the perception that PIP is “compensation for being disabled rather than… an award for extra costs”.

Merging PIP with other support

The government has also floated the possibility of combining PIP with other support you might get from your local council or the NHS. This might mean you wouldn’t need to go through a separate PIP assessment. But the consultation doesn’t provide much detail on how this would work in practice.