Ten things everyone should know about PIP

“Think of PIP as a handrail beside a steep staircase: it doesn’t remove the climb, but it makes every step safer and more possible” - Turn2Us.

Personal independence payment (PIP) is back in the spotlight, with a national review underway and potential changes on the horizon.

PIP helps cover the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability and is a lifeline for millions across the UK.

The government’s review, led by minister for social security and disability Sir Stephen Timms, is expected by autumn 2026 and will be shaped by input from disabled people, charities, experts and MPs.

As we wait for the review to get underway, Money Wellness spoke with two organisations that support PIP claimants every day - Fightback4Justice and Turn2Us - to highlight some essential facts everyone should know about PIP.

We spoke to Anna Stevenson, benefits expert at Turn2Us and Michelle Cardno, lawyer and founder of Fightback4Justice.

1. The application process is tough

“The application is no walk in the park,” - Anna Stevenson.

Applying for PIP means filling in a 40-page form, collecting medical evidence and often attending assessments, while dealing with serious and complex health conditions.

One claimant told Turn2Us: “I already juggle pain, meds whilst working and raising my kids. Proving it all on paper felt like another job”.

2. PIP keeps people in work

“It pays for the taxi when the bus is impossible, the noise-cancelling software that tames sensory overload, the carer who pops in at lunchtime so you can stay at your desk” -  Anna Stevenson.

Far from discouraging work, PIP helps people stay employed by covering the additional costs of working with a disability.

“My PIP covers the extra costs of showing up, so I can keep earning and paying tax like everyone else,” one claimant explained.

3. You can’t see most disabilities

 “Pain, fatigue and mental-health conditions rarely carry visible badges. PIP recognises what the eye can’t” - Anna Stevenson.

Many health conditions are invisible, and symptoms may fluctuate. You can’t tell what challenges a person is dealing with just by looking at them.

4. Appeals fix what first decisions miss

“Roughly three-quarters of people who appeal win. That isn’t a loophole; it’s proof that the system isn’t properly supporting those who need it” - Anna Stevenson.

Michelle Cardno, lawyer and founder of Fightback4Justice, sees this in her legal work:

“Our success rate is 89% at the moment... we do round about 700 appeals a year.”

Often, decisions are reversed once fuller evidence is submitted:

“So if they’d sent that in the first place, they probably wouldn’t have lost it the first time,” Cardno added.

5. PIP enables independence  

 “Independence is priceless, and PIP buys some of it” - Anna Stevenson.

With the right support, people use PIP to live fuller lives, whether it’s working, volunteering, studying, raising kids or starting businesses.

“PIP doesn’t give me an easy life. It gives me my life,” said a Turn2Us claimant.

6. Evidence matters but it doesn’t have to come from a doctor

“You don't need to have a doctor's letter” - Michelle Cardno.

While professional medical evidence can strengthen a claim, a doctor’s note is not required. Useful documents include:

• occupational therapy assessments
• blue badge documents
• letters from carers or support workers

“You can apply without anything at all. We would always recommend you try and send something, because it does help your case,” Cardno advises.

7. It’s not means-tested

“Personal independence payment is an in-work benefit... It doesn't rely on your income. It doesn't look at savings, so it's not means tested” - Michelle Cardno.

PIP is based solely on how your condition affects daily living and mobility, not how much money you have.

8. You have the right to record your assessment

“You have the right to record your assessment… but you must ask” - Michelle Cardno.

Claimants are often unaware that they can request to have their assessment recorded, a step that can help ensure accuracy and accountability.

“We always suggest that you try and ask… a good week before the assessment,” Cardno recommends.

9. PIP isn’t a shortcut, it’s survival

“Qualifying is hard, and PIP is often the enabler, not the barrier, to employment and independent living” - Anna Stevenson.

Despite misconceptions, PIP isn’t the easy option that gets you out of working. It just helps to level the playing field slightly.

10. Change is coming, and disabled voices will be key

PIP is under official review, with recommendations expected in 2026. The review promises to be shaped by the people it affects most and experts with first-hand experience of the system, disabled individuals, advocacy organisations and frontline experts.

Need help with a PIP claim?

You don’t have to go through it alone.

Visit Turn2Us or Fightback4Justice for support and advice.