Who will miss out on PIP under Labour's reforms? The new DWP assessment explained
More than one million people could lose out on disability benefit support following the government's decision to limit who qualifies for personal independence payment (PIP).
From November 2026, those claiming the "daily living element" of PIP - which provides financial support for individuals who need help with everyday tasks - will need to score a minimum of four points during their assessment for the benefit in one single activity to qualify for support, Liz Kendall announced in Parliament on Tuesday.
The assessment changes will result in up to 1.2 million people losing support of between £4,200 and £6,300 per year by 2029-30, independent think-tank the Resolution Foundation has projected.
The policy is one of several disability benefit cuts made by the government as paert of wide-ranging welfare reform it says will help get people into work and save £5bn.
Many PIP claimants have said the restrictions are a further financial blow in an already confusing and invasive process, with charities warning that the changes could push another 700,000 disabled households into poverty.
Here's what the change to the assessment process for PIP looks like — and what that could mean for you.
Anyone applying for PIP has to go through an assessment that determines the amount of money they receive.
PIP is awarded based on the difficulties a claimant faces with various daily living and mobility activities, which is scored on a points-based system.
There are 10 activities that assessors score for the daily living component of the payment, with each having a certain number of points attached:
Preparing food - 8 points
Eating and drinking (also referred to as "taking nutrition") - 10 points
Managing treatments - 8 ponts
Washing and bathing - 8 points
Using the toilet and managing incontinence - 8 points
Dressing and undressing - 8 points
Communicating (talking, listening and understanding) - 12 points
Reading - 8 points
Engaging with other people (socialising) - 8 points
Managing money - 6 points
There are 120 points available in this section. Currently, you can score eight points in total from any of these sections to be eligible for PIP.
Under new rules, a person has to score at least four points in total in one section in order to be eligible for daily living support.
The scoring is based on looking at your ability to carry out these tasks over a 12-month period, looking back three months and forward nine months.
Currently, to be eligible for any of the daily living PIP payments, you need to score at least eight points in the assessment. These points can be scored across any of the above 10 areas.
Under the new rules, however, you will need to score at least four points in one single section — meaning that while you may encounter difficulties across several areas, only severe difficulties will take you over the eligibility threshold.
The amount you will be paid will stay the same, which is:
8 to 11 points: Standard rate (£72.65 per week)
12 or more points: Enhanced rate (£108.55 per week)
While scoring someone's PIP assessment requires nuance as well as grading, here's a breakdown of what typically counts for different point values:
1 point
Using an aid or appliance to manage medication
Needing supervision, prompting, or assistance to manage medication or monitor a health condition
2 points
Needing an aid or appliance to dress or undress
Requiring prompting to dress, undress, or select appropriate clothing
Needing assistance to dress or undress the lower body
Using an aid or appliance to speak or hear
Needing prompting to read or understand complex written information
4 points
Needing assistance to dress or undress the upper body
Requiring communication support to express or understand complex verbal information
Needing prompting to read or understand basic written information
Requiring social support to engage with other people
The difference, crucially, between hitting a two points or four points can be between whether people are prompted to do a task, or have to be supervised to do a task.
If you need prompting to do a task, that's two points. If you need supervision for your safety, however, that's four points.
There are a range of people who could miss out under the new criteria, with a disabled person who needs help to eat, wash and manage toilet needs potentially no longer qualifying for PIP.
MPs and campaigners are concerned people struggling with mental health conditions, neurodivergent people with ADHD and autism, as well as those with fluctuating conditions and neurological conditions may be among the groups to miss out on future payments.
Earlier this month, Wes Streeting took aim at the rising number of people with mental health conditions claiming PIP, telling Laura Kuenssberg that he thought doctors were "overdiagnosing" mental health illnesses.
Mental health charity mind called the rhetoric "dangerous" and warned Streeting against "reinforcing stigma" and "stopping people getting support".
The PIP eligibility changes will come into effect from November 2026.
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Who will miss out on PIP under Labour's reforms? The new DWP assessment explained
More than one million people could lose out on disability benefit support following the government's decision to limit who qualifies for personal independence payment (PIP). From November 2026, those claiming the "daily living element" of PIP - which provides financial support for individuals who need help with everyday tasks - will need to score a minimum of four points during their assessment for the benefit in one single activity to qualify for support, Liz Kendall announced in Parliament on Tuesday. The assessment changes will result in up to 1.2 million people losing support of between £4,200 and £6,300 per year by 2029-30, independent think-tank the Resolution Foundation has projected. The policy is one of several disability benefit cuts made by the government as paert of wide-ranging welfare reform it says will help get people into work and save £5bn. Many PIP claimants have said the restrictions are a further financial blow in an already confusing and invasive process, with charities warning that the changes could push another 700,000 disabled households into poverty. Here's what the change to the assessment process for PIP looks like — and what that could mean for you. Anyone applying for PIP has to go through an assessment that determines the amount of money they receive. PIP is awarded based on the difficulties a claimant faces with various daily living and mobility activities, which is scored on a points-based system. There are 10 activities that assessors score for the daily living component of the payment, with each having a certain number of points attached: Preparing food - 8 points Eating and drinking (also referred to as "taking nutrition") - 10 points Managing treatments - 8 ponts Washing and bathing - 8 points Using the toilet and managing incontinence - 8 points Dressing and undressing - 8 points Communicating (talking, listening and understanding) - 12 points Reading - 8 points Engaging with other people (socialising) - 8 points Managing money - 6 points There are 120 points available in this section. Currently, you can score eight points in total from any of these sections to be eligible for PIP. Under new rules, a person has to score at least four points in total in one section in order to be eligible for daily living support. The scoring is based on looking at your ability to carry out these tasks over a 12-month period, looking back three months and forward nine months. Currently, to be eligible for any of the daily living PIP payments, you need to score at least eight points in the assessment. These points can be scored across any of the above 10 areas. Under the new rules, however, you will need to score at least four points in one single section — meaning that while you may encounter difficulties across several areas, only severe difficulties will take you over the eligibility threshold. The amount you will be paid will stay the same, which is: 8 to 11 points: Standard rate (£72.65 per week) 12 or more points: Enhanced rate (£108.55 per week) While scoring someone's PIP assessment requires nuance as well as grading, here's a breakdown of what typically counts for different point values: 1 point Using an aid or appliance to manage medication Needing supervision, prompting, or assistance to manage medication or monitor a health condition 2 points Needing an aid or appliance to dress or undress Requiring prompting to dress, undress, or select appropriate clothing Needing assistance to dress or undress the lower body Using an aid or appliance to speak or hear Needing prompting to read or understand complex written information 4 points Needing assistance to dress or undress the upper body Requiring communication support to express or understand complex verbal information Needing prompting to read or understand basic written information Requiring social support to engage with other people The difference, crucially, between hitting a two points or four points can be between whether people are prompted to do a task, or have to be supervised to do a task. If you need prompting to do a task, that's two points. If you need supervision for your safety, however, that's four points. There are a range of people who could miss out under the new criteria, with a disabled person who needs help to eat, wash and manage toilet needs potentially no longer qualifying for PIP. MPs and campaigners are concerned people struggling with mental health conditions, neurodivergent people with ADHD and autism, as well as those with fluctuating conditions and neurological conditions may be among the groups to miss out on future payments. Earlier this month, Wes Streeting took aim at the rising number of people with mental health conditions claiming PIP, telling Laura Kuenssberg that he thought doctors were "overdiagnosing" mental health illnesses. Mental health charity mind called the rhetoric "dangerous" and warned Streeting against "reinforcing stigma" and "stopping people getting support". The PIP eligibility changes will come into effect from November 2026.
