Latest news with #BenefitsandWork
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Will 700,000 pensioners lose out on PIP changes this year?
The government has insisted that close to 700,000 disabled pensioners will not have their personal independence payments (PIP) taken away, despite concerns that thousands of people are at risk of missing out on vital support. PIP is a benefit that helps disabled people with their living and mobility costs. It currently requires an assessment so that the department for work and pensions (DWP) can see how much help a claimant needs. But under wide-ranging welfare reforms laid out in March, the government said the number of people claiming PIP had become "unsustainable" and that stricter eligibility rules were needed to cut down the welfare budget. It is believed approximately 800,000 of the total 3.7 million PIP claimants will either miss out on payments as a result of the new rules, which are expected to come into force in November 2026. Now, the welfare information and advice service Benefits and Work has questioned whether or not pensioners who claim PIP will have their awards withdrawn. In a post published on its website on 17 May, it claimed that the DWP is "desperately trying to hide the truth about pension age PIP claims", adding: "Pension age PIP claimants will be subject to the four point rule, no matter how hard the DWP tried to hide that fact". In a written statement last week, a DWP minister insisted pensioners would "not be affected" by the changes because their claims are not "routinely reviewed", but some campaigners remain concerned that some older people could miss out regardless. Age UK told Yahoo News that PIP makes up 38% of net income among people aged 60 to 65 and said it was "very worried about the prospect of people losing this vital money". Here's what has concerned PIP claimants and pensioners — and what the government has said in response. Generally, new PIP claims are only accepted by the DWP from individuals who are under state pension age, but some pensioners can claim PIP because of specific eligibility rules related to when their claim started. For example, if someone's claim started when they were below pension age, they can continue to receive it as a pensioner. Additionally, if someone was eligible for PIP in the year before reaching state pension age but they did not claim, they may still be able to make a new claim. Individuals over state pension age are not subject to full reassessments but may still undergo 'light touch' reviews. These reviews, typically conducted every 10 years, are less comprehensive and generally involve a short form to confirm that the claimant's condition has not significantly changed. If you report a change of circumstances, this may trigger a reassessment. Around 690,000 pensioners are eligible for PIP, according to the DWP's official statistics released in January. We know that around 12,000 pension age claimants had a "planned award review" in 2024. Planned award reviews happen when a PIP claimant's award period runs out, which is normally after anytime from nine months to 10 years. In addition, 19,238 pension age PIP claimants had a "change of circumstances" review in 2024, according to the data. What has concerned campaigners is that when pensioners come up for these reviews, they could be subjected to the new, stricter eligibility rules rolled out in the controversial reforms announced in March. These new rules can be read in full here and, crucially, include the requirement to score a minimum of four points in one single activity to qualify for support - making it much harder for many claimants to successfully claim support. Benefits and Work has already urged the government to clarify what the proposals will mean for PIP-claiming pensioners. It wrote to the DWP, asking two questions: 'Will existing PIP claimants of pension age who are subject to a planned award review from November 2026 be required to score at least four points in one daily living activity in order to maintain their award?' 'Will existing PIP claimants of pension age who request a change of circumstances review from November 2026 be required to score at least four points in one daily living activity in order to maintain or increase their award?' While disability minister Sir Stephen Timms said pensioners claiming PIP are "not routinely reviewed" and "will not be affected by the proposed changes", questions have still been raised as to whether the group will be exempt. This is because the Green Paper does not explicitly address this, and while pension age people are 'not routinely fully reviewed', many of them have undergone reviews in the past. For example, a change of circumstances application can still trigger a full reassessment, potentially putting their entitlement at risk including if they don't meet the new requirement after November 2026. Timms, in part, addressed this in a response earlier this month. 'All claimants are required to notify the department of any change to their circumstance, be that an improvement or deterioration in their needs." "Upon notification of a change, a case manager will consider what further action might be required to ensure the claimant is receiving the correct level of support.' Yahoo News approached the DWP to query the perceived ambiguity and were told: 'In keeping with existing policy, people on state pension age are not routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes." There's no doubt PIP payments are a lifeline for many older people. Age UK has warned that many people in their early- and mid-sixties - before they hit pension age - who are struggling financially can suffer a decline in health. Many of them rely on a disability benefit like PIP to get by, with the charity's own polling revealing four in 10 people aged 55-65 are worried about affording essentials like food. "For those with long-term conditions or disabilities, working up to state pension age can be difficult, leaving many in a precarious financial position," Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, told Yahoo News. "The poverty rate for people aged between 60-64 is 22%, one of the highest among all age groups. PIP is an essential key element of income for disabled people in this age group, providing the ability to meet their basic needs. "Currently PIP makes up 38% of net income among people aged 60 to 65 so we are very worried about the prospect of people losing this vital money," Abrahams added. *The government is running a consultation to find out what the public think about some of its proposals for PIP. You can submit your thoughts here.
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
PIP payments 'worth hundreds' if you say yes to three questions
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) offers Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability Understanding PIP eligibility can be a bit of a maze, but the website Benefits and Work has broken it down with some straightforward pointers that could indicate if you're likely to qualify. They say: "If the answer to the next three questions is 'Yes', then you should very seriously consider making a PIP claim". Those questions are simple but could make a lot of difference if you are entitled to help. Do you have a disability or long-term health condition? Are you aged between 16 and state pension age? Does it make it more difficult to do everyday things like cooking or getting around? The site adds: "There are a few more issues that may affect your eligibility, such as whether you have recently lived abroad and whether you are currently in a care home or hospital. But they don't affect most people and you can read more about them in our PIP guides." PIP comes in two parts, reflecting how your condition affects you. There's the daily living component and the mobility component. When it comes to the standard living part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), they'll look at how you manage 10 different tasks, checking if you can do them safely, well and quickly, and the level of difficulty you face will determine your points tally. To get the standard rate, you need to score eight points across all activities, while the enhanced rate requires a score of 12, reports the Express. But take note, because next year's contentious welfare shake-up means claimants will have to hit these point targets and also score at least four points in one single activity. Yet Benefits and Work says claimants don't have to meet eligibility criteria all the time. The site says: "You are eligible for points if you satisfy one or more descriptors under an activity on more than 50% of the days in the twelve-month qualifying period." They add: "So if, because of depression, you are unable to motivate yourself to wash and bathe on four days a week, then you should score points for that. This will be the case even though on the other three days a week you can do this without anyone to prompt you." The amount received from PIP payments can vary significantly, with some individuals receiving upwards of £800 per month, while others may only get £114 at the lowest mobility rate. In addition to financial support, those who successfully qualify for PIP also benefit from extra premiums, benefit top-ups, and assistance with applications for other aids such as a disabled railcard or blue badge.
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
PIP claimants that ‘shouldn't be affected' could still be at risk
700,000 people were recently told the changes won't affect them, but a loophole may mean it does A loophole in new DWP PIP criteria could expose people to losing their benefits, according to an advice organisation. Last month, Disability Minister Stephen Timms responded to a written parliamentary question regarding the changes to PIP eligibility announced by the government in March. Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan had inquired about the impact of these changes on PIP claimants of retirement age. Sir Stephen offered reassurance, stating: "In keeping with existing policy, people over State Pension Age are not routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by the proposed changes." He also confirmed that the new eligibility criteria would only apply to reviews and claims made after November 2026. Many people welcomed this confirmation at the time, which was intended to alleviate concerns for approximately 700,000 state pension age PIP claimants, according to the Mirror. However, Benefits and Work has identified a loophole that could still subject these individuals to the new criteria, potentially resulting in the loss of their benefit. The benefit experts cautioned: "The phrase 'not routinely fully reviewed' is deeply ambiguous. It is true that claimants over pension age are likely to have a light-touch review. "This involves the shortened AR2 review form and will not normally require the claimant to have a face-to-face or telephone assessment. But the AR2 form still asks the claimant if there have been any changes in their daily living needs since their last assessment." After November 2026, people who do not meet the new eligibility criteria and respond 'no' on this form may technically disqualify themselves by highlighting that they don't meet the criteria. If they answer 'yes', it could initiate a new review, which will also be evaluated against the new criteria. This loophole could leave state pension age PIP claimants in a difficult position, but the experts have reassured: "We don't want to alarm pension age PIP claimants. Reviews after pension age are much less frequent, so most claimants may not be affected. However, it seems that tens of thousands a year might be. "Pension age PIP claimants will certainly be impacted by the Green paper changes. The only way to avoid this would be to specify that the new points system regulations will exempt pension age PIP claimants." They encouraged people to ask their local MPs to urge the minister to clarify his statement. Many details about the Green Paper are still unknown and open for consultation, including transitional protection so this gap for state pension age claimants could still be addressed in the future. What has been confirmed in detail are the proposed changes to PIP eligibility criteria. At present, applicants need to score at least eight points across 10 activities to receive the standard rate of the daily living component of PIP and 12 points to get the enhanced rate. The more assistance or equipment you require to carry out these activities safely and efficiently, the more points you can accumulate in each category. The updated criteria will still necessitate these minimums, but if individuals fail to score at least four points in any one category, they won't qualify for the daily living component at all. It remains uncertain how those who currently qualify and receive PIP but don't meet this criteria will be supported during the transition. The consultation is particularly open to disabled individuals and disability organisations in England, Scotland and Wales.
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
PIP claimants can try out new proposed eligibility test to see how payments may be affected
Many people on PIP aren't entirely sure how the eligibility changes will affect them After the welfare reforms were revealed last month, recipients of PIP have been anxiously waiting to learn how their payments will be impacted. In response to the proposed eligibility changes, a charity has introduced a new PIP assessment tool. The new PIP test, created by Benefits and Work, evaluates individuals against the proposed criteria, determining whether the changes will affect their benefits. Users can complete the test multiple times, anonymously or by providing their email address to receive their results for later review. The charity explained: "We know from comments and emails that a lot of people are confused about how Labour's proposed new PIP scoring system works. "So we've created an online test to allow you to try the scoring system for yourself." The test focuses solely on the daily living assessment, as the eligibility requirements for the mobility component of PIP remain unchanged. It assesses 12 daily activities, such as eating, budgeting, and planning journeys, awarding points based on the level of assistance or equipment required to complete each task efficiently and safely. Presently, to qualify for the standard rate of PIP's daily living component, a minimum of eight points is needed across the 12 activities. To receive the enhanced rate, a minimum of 12 points is necessary across these activities. The government is mulling over proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, which would require claimants to not only meet minimum point thresholds but also score at least four points in a single activity. This means that individuals who have minor impacts across all categories, accumulating two points per task and reaching a total of 24 points, would fail to qualify under the new rules despite their overall high score. Officials are currently considering how to safeguard and transition those who met the old criteria but will fall short under the new system. The changes are set to take effect from November 2026, giving people time to adjust. Benefits and Work issued a cautionary note in their assessment of the new test: "REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT YET THE LAW! This points system is only a proposal at the moment and may never become law." PIP consists of two parts: the mobility component and the daily living component, each with standard and enhanced rates based on the severity of impact on the individual's life. At present, the lowest PIP rate is the standard mobility component at £29.20 weekly. The enhanced mobility rate stands at £77.05, which is comparable to the standard daily living rate of £73.90, while the enhanced daily living rate is £110.40.
Daily Record
28-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Take new PIP test to see how DWP changes next year might impact your payments
The recent welfare reforms announcement from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has left many people on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) worried about the future of their payments. If the proposals are put into legislation, they will come into force in November 2026. PIP payments will not be frozen and will continue to rise each year in-line with the September inflation rate, however, assessments will change and the eligibility criteria is set to get tougher. To qualify for the daily living component of PIP, you will need to score at least four points in one of the 10 questions - and at least another four across the rest - to qualify for the standard rate. To help people who may be a bit confused by the proposed change, the team of benefits experts at the independent forum Benefits and Work, have tweaked their online 'PIP test' to incorporate the proposed scoring system. This will help people find out whether they would qualify for the daily living component before the planned changes are implemented. Benefits and Work said: 'We know from comments and emails that a lot of people are confused about how Labour's proposed new PIP scoring system works. So we've created an online test to allow you to try the scoring system for yourself. 'You can try the test as many times as you want either anonymously or, if you prefer, provide your email address and get the results sent to your inbox as well as appearing onscreen.' It's important to be aware the proposed changes will not be applied to the mobility component, it will remain the same. There are 10 questions on the daily living part of the PIP 2 evidence form. Each of the questions has a list of responses, known as descriptors, whichever descriptor you choose is awarded points. To qualify for the daily living component, you need at least eight points for the standard rate and 12 or more for the enhanced rate. But you would need to get a score of at least four in one of those questions to qualify. Benefits and Work explained: 'If you select 4 descriptors scoring two points each, that will be 8 points but it will not qualify for an award. 'But if you select one descriptor scoring 4 points and two descriptors scoring 2 points, that will be 8 points and you will qualify for an award.' You can take the new 'PIP test' online here. The latest figures from the DWP show at the end of January nearly 3.7 million people were in claim for PIP. Following the annual uprating earlier this month, PIP is worth and receiving between £114.8 and £737.20 every four weeks. You might get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with: The DWP will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task, the DWP will look at: Your ability to carry out each activity is measured against a list of standard statements describing what you can or cannot do. These are known as the descriptors. The health professional will advise the DWP which descriptor applies to you for each activity. The Citizen's Advice website has a whole section dedicated to this along with a downloadable guide to all the points awarded for each response - you can view this here. An example they use is there are six descriptors for 'Dressing and undressing', ranging from 'Can dress and undress unaided' to 'Cannot dress or undress at all'. Each descriptor carries a points score ranging from 0 to 12. Your ability to carry out the daily living activities and the mobility activities will be assessed as if you were wearing or using any aids or appliances it would be reasonable for you to use. This applies whether or not you normally use those aids or appliances. However, if you use or need aids and appliances, this can help you to score more points - find out more here. Citizens Advice explains: 'An aid is any item which improves, provides or replaces impaired physical or mental function. It doesn't have to be specially designed as a disability aid. Examples include a stool you need to sit on when cooking, or a walking stick to help you stand.' Citizens Advice explains to get the daily living component of PIP, you must have a physical or mental condition that limits your ability to carry out some or all of the activities below. The maximum amount of PIP points that can be awarded for that question are shown. Daily living activity: A successful claim for PIP is currently worth between £28.70 and £184.30 each week in additional financial support. As the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £114.80 and £737.20 every payment period. You will be paid the following amounts per week, depending on your award level: Daily Living Component Mobility Component Find out more about PIP on here .
