Personal Independence Payments (PIP) provide much-needed support to thousands of UK households experiencing long-term physical or mental health problems and disabilities.

This benefit provides extra money to those who struggle to complete daily tasks or who have difficulty getting around due to a health problem.

PIP is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) every four weeks and is delivered in two parts: a daily life part, if you need help with daily tasks, and a mobility part, if you need help getting around.

You may be eligible for the daily living part of PIP if you need help with tasks such as cooking, washing, dressing, eating or going to the toilet, while the mobility part may be granted if you need help. help to physically move and leave your home.

Under current rates, anyone on the higher rate for the daily living and mobility parts can get a maximum of £9,583.90 over the course of a year. But PIP rates are set to rise by 1.7% from April 7, 2025, bringing the maximum amount you could get (if you claim the two highest rates) to £9,747.40. The new prices from April next year are:

Part of daily life

Mobility part

But PIP claimants should be aware that their payments could be interrupted by the DWP if they make a simple mistake.

Since 2016, around 3.1 million PIP claims have been reviewed by the government and, according to Citizens Advice, tens of thousands of claimants have had their payments stopped or reduced as a result.

The charity says one of the main reasons your payments are stopped or reduced is simply because you haven’t returned an assessment form on time.

If you receive PIP, you will receive a letter when your application is approved telling you when your application will end and whether it will be reviewed. You will receive a letter asking you to complete a form entitled ‘Award review – how your disability affects you’, which must be completed and returned within a month for review by the DWP.

If you have not returned your assessment form within the deadline, you should contact the PIP inquiry line on 0800 121 4433 to tell them you need more time. If you have a good reason for the delay, you may be given an extension to return the form, and if your claim is successful, you will receive the money you should have received if your claim had not been stopped.

If you do not receive an extension and you do not have good reasons to challenge a decision on your application, then you will need to start a new PIP application.

Citizens Advice says: “If you have not returned an assessment form on time, contact DWP as soon as possible, explain why you have not yet returned the form and ask for more time.

“If the DWP agree to give yourself more time, fill out the form and send it to them – check how to fill out the review form. If they decide you can still benefit from PIP, they will pay you the money you would have received if PIP had not been stopped.

“If the DWP will not give you more time to submit your assessment form, you should start a new PIP claim as soon as possible. Check how to make a new PIP claim.

“You can also appeal the decision to stop your PIP if there is a good reason why you did not submit your assessment form on time. For example, if you were sick or had an emergency at home. If your challenge is successful, the DWP will pay you the money you would have received if this had not stopped. You should begin your appeal within one month of the decision.