New call to scrap PIP eligibility rule to help more people with fluctuating health conditions claim

Daily Record

30-04-2025

A new online petition is calling for a change to eligibility rules for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). At present, people making a new claim for PIP must be able to demonstrate that the functional impact of their health condition has been present for at least three months and is likely to remain for at least nine months.
However, petition creator Thomas Mitchell argues that this is 'unfair' and does not take into account people with fluctuating conditions such as epilepsy. He is urging the UK Government to 'scrap this rule' to enable more people with long-term health conditions to access additional financial support.
The 'Scrap the '3-Month Before and 9-Month After' Rule for PIP Eligibility' petition, has been posted on the Petitions Parliament website and states: ' Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants must have faced difficulties for at least three months before applying and expect them to continue for at least nine months after claiming"
It continues: "We think this rule is unfair and fails to account for fluctuating conditions like epilepsy, where someone may go months without symptoms but still face significant challenges. We think it could prevent many disabled and seriously ill people from accessing the support they need.
'We urge the UK Government to scrap this rule and ensure that PIP eligibility fairly reflects the real-life impact of disabilities and long-term conditions, including those that fluctuate.'
At 10,000 signatures, the petition would be entitled to a written response from the UK Government, at 100,000 it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament. You can view it online here.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there are now 3.7 million people across Great Britain receiving additional financial support through PIP (PIP). More than 20,000 Scots on PIP will see their award transferred to Adult Disability Payment (ADP) this Spring.
Over the 2025/26 financial year, PIP and ADP will provide weekly support of between £29.20 and £187.45, some £116.80 or £749.80 every four-week pay period. Both disability benefits are designed to help with the additional costs of living with a disability, long-term illness, or physical or mental health condition.
Five most commonly recorded PIP health conditions
These are the main disabling conditions recorded by the DWP at the end of January, 2025.
Disabling conditions recorded by DWP
These are the main disability categories, the umbrella term by which more than 530 other conditions fall under. This list is only an overview of conditions, disorders and diseases and how the DWP lists the main disabilities being claimed for.
Haematological Disease
Infectious disease
Malignant disease
Metabolic disease
Psychiatric disorders
Neurological disease
Visual disease
Hearing disorders
Cardiovascular disease
Gastrointestinal disease
Diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract
Skin disease
Musculoskeletal disease (general)
Musculoskeletal disease (regional)
Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders)
Genitourinary disease
Endocrine disease
Respiratory disease
Multisystem and extremes of age
Diseases of the immune system
Unknown or missing
Total number of PIP claimants (January 2025) - 3,694,536
Below is an overview of PIP and ADP. Even though new claims for PIP have been replaced in Scotland by ADP, it shares most of the same eligibility criteria. Full guidance on ADP can be found on the MYGOV.SCOT website here.
Who might be eligible for PIP or ADP?
To be eligible for PIP or ADP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
In addition to what we have outlined above, if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP or ADP.
preparing, cooking or eating food
managing your medication
washing, bathing or using the toilet
dressing and undressing
engaging and communicating with other people
reading and understanding written information
making decisions about money
planning a journey or following a route
moving around
There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the GOV.UK website here.
DWP or Social Security Scotland will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they will look at:
whether you can do it safely
how long it takes you
how often your condition affects this activity
whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
How are PIP and ADP paid?
PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP.
PIP and ADP payment rates 2025/26
You will need an assessment to work out the level of financial help you will receive and your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support. Payments are made every four weeks.
PIP is made up of two components:
Daily living
Mobility
Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
Standard rate: £73.90
Enhanced rate: £110.40
Mobility
Standard rate: £29.20
Enhanced rate: £77.05
How you are assessed
You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need, for PIP.
Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware that the health professional and DWP determine which type of assessment is best suited for each claimant. You can find out more about DWP PIP assessments here.
Adult Disability Payment assessments will not involve face-to-face assessments, unless this is preferred by the claimant - find out more about the changes here.
How do you make a claim for PIP?
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.
Before you call, you will need:
How to apply for ADP
People can apply for ADP, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on mygov.scot here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.