Next year the eligibility criteria for PIP will be changing, limiting the number of people who qualify for this disability benefit. However, these changes will only impact 10 out of the 12 questions on the PIP assessment.
The final two activities in the assessment pertain to the mobility component of PIP, which is expected to remain unchanged amidst the welfare reforms. At the lower end, the mobility element offers £29.20 per week, but can provide up to £77.05 at the enhanced rate. As highlighted by Turn2Us, the first of these activities that won’t be affected is planning and following journeys.
This question assesses how safely, quickly and efficiently you can plan and execute a journey.
No points are awarded if you can plan your route and navigate there without any assistance. Four points are available if you require someone with you to leave the house, and eight points if you’re unable to plan your route.
Ten points are given if you cannot leave the house or travel to a new location without the help of another person or an aid such as a guide dog, cane or braille map. The maximum number of points available is 12, for those who cannot travel to a familiar place without the assistance of another person or a special aid.
The second activity remaining unaffected by the reform is moving around, which primarily focuses on the distance you can comfortably and safely cover.
If you can stand and move more than 200 metres, with or without an aid, you’ll receive no points. You can earn four points if you can move between 50 and 200 metres with or without an aid, or eight points if you can move up to 50 metres without an aid.
If you require an aid to move up to 50 metres, you could be awarded 10 points. If your mobility is limited to only 20 metres, or if you’re unable to stand or move even one metre without a special aid, you may qualify for 12 points.
To be eligible for the mobility component of PIP, you need to accumulate a total of eight points across both of these activities for the standard rate. To qualify for the enhanced rate, you need to score 12 points in total.
The other 10 activities in the PIP assessment that are being affected pertain to the daily living component of PIP. This offers up to £110.40 per week on the enhanced rate.
At present, you need a minimum of eight points across all 10 questions to qualify for the standard rate and 12 points in total to qualify for the enhanced rate. However, by next November, applicants will also need to score four points in any single activity.
