People with stress, anxiety or depression could be entitled to PIP or ADP

Daily Record

6 days ago

More than 1.4 million people are currently receiving PIP or Adult Disability Payment to help with a mental health condition.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - information
New research commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) found that at the end of July 2024, 3.6 million people were entitled to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in England and Wales. At the time, this represented a 29 per cent increase in the number of claimants since July 2021 (2.8m).
DWP reports that mental health conditions and behavioural disorders have been a primary driver of the increase in the number of working age people claiming PIP. The monthly average of new PIP awards where the primary medical condition was anxiety and depression has increased from 2,500 per month in 2019, to 8,800 per month in 2024.
At the end of April 2025, there were more than 3.7m people in receipt of PIP. That figure includes 1,444,016 people receiving financial support for 'Psychiatric disorders'.
This is the main disabling descriptor used by the DWP and it covers anxiety and mood disorders, stress reactions and depressive disorders, along with a wide range of other conditions that may affect someone's mental wellbeing.
However, that figure does not include new or existing claimants living in Scotland in receipt of Adult Disability Payment (ADP) - the devolved disability payment which has now replaced all new claims for PIP made north of the border.
PIP provides additional financial support of between £29.20 and £187.45 per week to adults with a disability, long-term illness, or physical or mental health condition who need help completing daily tasks or moving around.
If you need additional support to cover the costs of daily living or mobility needs due to a mental health condition, it may be worthwhile considering making a new claim for PIP or 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
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:
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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:
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Daily living
Standard rate: £73.90
Enhanced rate: £110.40
Mobility
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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.
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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.
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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:
your contact details
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker's name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you've spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
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.