Checked on 10 October 2026 against GOV.UK: Personal Independence Payment and the DWP benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027. Benefit rules can change, so always check the official pages before you claim.
Arthritis can make ordinary tasks harder, slower or more painful: getting dressed, cooking a meal, washing, managing tablets or walking to the shops. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) exists to help with the extra costs that come with this. Many people with arthritis are eligible but never claim, or are turned down because their form did not show the real impact. This guide covers the whole process, from checking whether you qualify to challenging a decision, so you know what to expect at each stage.
What PIP is, and what it is not
- It is for extra living costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and find everyday tasks or getting around difficult.
- It is not means-tested. GOV.UK states that the amount you get is not affected by your income or savings.
- You can claim while working. PIP is not an out-of-work benefit.
- It is tax free and usually paid every 4 weeks.
- It is based on how your condition affects you, not on your diagnosis.
PIP has two parts. You can get one or both:
- a daily living part, if you need help with everyday tasks
- a mobility part, if you need help getting around
How much PIP is in 2026/27
| Part | Standard (lower) weekly rate | Enhanced (higher) weekly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Daily living | £76.70 | £114.60 |
| Mobility | £30.30 | £80.00 |
Source: GOV.UK PIP guide and the DWP rates publication for 2026 to 2027, checked on 10 October 2026. Adult Disability Payment in Scotland is paid at the same rates for 2026/27, according to mygov.scot.
Who can claim
According to GOV.UK, you can get PIP if all of the following apply:
- you are 16 or over
- you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- you have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around
- you expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started
You usually also need to be under State Pension age to make a new claim. If you are over State Pension age, you usually claim Attendance Allowance instead, unless you got PIP or Adult Disability Payment in the last 12 months. There are also residence rules: you usually need to have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years and be living in England or Wales when you apply.
The difficulty must happen most of the time. GOV.UK explains this means you expect to have difficulty on more than half of the days over a 12-month period. For arthritis with flares, this is the most important rule to understand, and it is explained below.
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
| Where you live | Benefit | Run by | Key differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | PIP | Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) | The process described in this guide |
| Scotland | Adult Disability Payment (ADP) | Social Security Scotland | Separate application (online, phone or paper); its own process for consultations and challenging decisions. Same 2026/27 rates as PIP |
| Northern Ireland | PIP | Department for Communities | Separate phone lines and processes; see nidirect |
If you move between Scotland and England or Wales, GOV.UK says you must tell the relevant agency and make a new claim for the other benefit. For example, if you move from England or Wales to Scotland, your PIP stops 13 weeks after you move, so apply for ADP as soon as possible.
How the points system works
PIP is assessed against 12 activities: 10 daily living activities and 2 mobility activities. Each activity has a list of statements (called descriptors) worth different points. The PIP regulations set the thresholds:
- 8 to 11 points in the daily living activities = standard rate of the daily living part
- 12 points or more in the daily living activities = enhanced rate
- The same thresholds (8 and 12) apply separately to the mobility activities
| Daily living activities | Mobility activities |
|---|---|
| Preparing food; eating and drinking; managing medicines or treatments; washing and bathing; using the toilet; dressing and undressing; communicating; reading; mixing with other people; making budgeting decisions | Planning and following a journey; moving around |
The "reliably" test
This is where many arthritis claims are won or lost. The DWP assessment guide says you should only be treated as able to do an activity if you can do it reliably, which means:
- safely, in a way that is unlikely to cause harm to you or anyone else
- to an acceptable standard
- repeatedly, as often as is reasonably needed
- in a reasonable time, which means no more than twice as long as someone without your condition would normally take
So if you can get dressed, but it takes you 40 minutes and leaves you exhausted and in pain, or you can walk 50 metres once but not again that day, you should explain that.
Flares and fluctuating arthritis
The regulations look at which descriptor applies on more than 50% of days over the relevant period. If different descriptors apply on different days and none reaches 50% on its own, but scoring descriptors together cover more than half the days, the descriptor that applies for the highest proportion of days is used. In practice, describe what a typical week and month look like: how many bad days, what you can and cannot do on them, and how long flares last. A diary is the best way to show this; use our PIP evidence diary.
Painkillers, aids and timing
The assessment guide also says assessors should consider whether you can do an activity when you need to. If painkillers let you get washed and dressed soon after waking, you may not score; if you have to wait a couple of hours for them to work, a scoring descriptor may apply. Using aids such as a perching stool, long-handled sponge, grab rails or a walking stick can score points if you need them to complete an activity reliably.
Examples of how arthritis can affect each activity
| Activity | Things to describe |
|---|---|
| Preparing food | Lifting pans, chopping, opening packets and jars, standing at the cooker, using a perching stool, relying on a microwave |
| Managing treatments | Help with injections such as methotrexate or biologics, opening blister packs, remembering doses |
| Washing and bathing | Getting in and out of the bath, reaching feet and back, needing a shower seat or someone nearby |
| Toilet needs | Getting on and off the toilet, wiping, needing a raised seat or rails |
| Dressing | Buttons, zips, socks, shoes, bras, how long it takes, help from another person |
| Moving around | How far you can walk reliably and repeatedly, at what pace, with what aid, and how you feel afterwards |
How to claim, step by step
- Start the claim. In England and Wales, call the PIP new claims line on 0800 917 2222 (Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 917 2222), Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Or write to Freepost DWP PIP 1 asking to start a claim. In some areas you can now apply fully online; GOV.UK lets you check by postcode. Have your National Insurance number, bank details and your GP or health worker's details ready.
- Complete the "How your disability affects you" form. You will be sent it by post (usually within 2 weeks) or emailed a link if you applied by phone. GOV.UK says you should return it within 1 month; contact the PIP enquiry line if you need more time.
- Send supporting evidence with the form, such as prescription lists, care plans, clinic letters and information from people involved in your care.
- Attend an assessment if one is needed.
- Get a decision letter.
You can ask for someone to join your call or to call on your behalf (you need to be with them). You may also be able to get a home visit from a DWP officer to help with your claim; ask when you call.
Filling in the form: practical tips
- Answer every question that applies to you, even if it seems obvious.
- Describe a typical week, including bad days and how often they happen. Avoid describing only your best or worst day.
- For each task, say whether you can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time, and what happens if you try.
- Mention pain, stiffness, fatigue, dropping things and falls.
- List aids and adaptations you use or need, and help you get from other people (or need, even if you do not get it).
- Give real examples: "On 4 or 5 days a week I cannot do up buttons or a bra; my partner helps me. Getting dressed takes me about 30 minutes and I have to sit down to rest."
Evidence that helps
- Clinic letters from rheumatology, orthopaedics or pain services that describe your condition, treatment and its effects
- Reports from a physiotherapist or occupational therapist describing function, aids and limits
- Your prescription list, including injections and side effects
- A statement from a carer, family member or friend who sees how you manage
- A symptom and activity diary covering at least a couple of weeks
You do not need to pay for new medical reports. Send what you have and explain the gaps in your own words.
The assessment
GOV.UK says you might be invited to an assessment with a health professional if more information is needed. It can take place at an assessment centre, at your home, over the phone or by video call, and usually takes about 1 hour. You can have someone with you, such as a friend or support worker. The audio is recorded; if you do not want it recorded, contact the assessment provider using the details in your invitation letter. They may ask you to do some simple movements. Only do what you can do safely and without causing more pain, and say if something would hurt or you could not repeat it.
The decision and reviews
You will get a letter saying whether you will get PIP, the date of your first payment and when your claim will be reviewed. GOV.UK says a first award is between 9 months and 10 years, depending on whether your needs are likely to change. You keep getting PIP while a review is being carried out. Tell the PIP enquiry line straight away if your needs change, you go into hospital or a care home, or you plan to go abroad for more than 4 weeks.
If you disagree with the decision
- Mandatory reconsideration. Ask DWP to look at the decision again, usually within one month of the date on your decision letter. It is free.
- Appeal to a tribunal. If you are still unhappy, appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal within one month of your mandatory reconsideration notice. It is free and independent of DWP.
Our step-by-step PIP appeal guide explains how to build a strong challenge. In Scotland, ADP decisions are challenged through Social Security Scotland; in Northern Ireland, through the Department for Communities and The Appeals Service.
What a PIP award can unlock
GOV.UK lists extra help linked to PIP. Depending on your award, this can include:
- a Blue Badge (in England you automatically qualify if you score 8 points or more in the "moving around" activity)
- a vehicle tax discount or exemption
- the Motability Scheme, if you get the enhanced (higher) mobility rate
- a Disabled Persons Railcard, if you get either part
- Carer's Allowance for someone who cares for you at least 35 hours a week, if you get the daily living part
- extra amounts (disability premiums) in some means-tested benefits, and possible Council Tax and bus travel help from your council
You can get PIP at the same time as all other benefits except Armed Forces Independence Payment.
Free, independent help
These organisations give free benefits advice or information. We are not connected to them:
- Citizens Advice (England, Wales), Citizens Advice Scotland and Advice NI for form-filling and challenges
- Turn2us for a free benefits calculator and grants search
- Scope and Disability Rights UK for disability benefits information
- Your council's welfare rights service, if it has one
If you are not sure whether to apply, our guide to claiming PIP for arthritis covers eligibility in more detail.