What is the PIP Points System? (Personal Independence System)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a UK government benefit designed to financially support individuals with long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities. It helps cover extra costs associated with daily living and mobility needs. PIP is not means-tested, meaning it doesn’t depend on your income or savings, and you don’t need to be receiving other benefits like Universal Credit to qualify. Eligibility is based solely on how your condition impacts your daily activities and mobility.

Why are the PIP points important?

Points are central to how Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is assessed. They determine whether someone qualifies for PIP and at what rate it’s awarded. During the assessment, individuals are evaluated on their ability to perform various daily living and mobility activities. Each activity has specific descriptors assigned different point values based on how severely the condition affects the person.

The points system works as follows:

Daily living and mobility activities each have descriptors, which describe different levels of ability or difficulty.
Each descriptor carries a certain number of points, depending on the severity of impact.
The total points earned decide eligibility:
- 8 to 11 points: Standard rate awarded.
- 12 points or more: Enhanced rate awarded.
- Less than 8 points: Typically no award is given.

Accurately demonstrating how a health condition or disability affects everyday tasks and mobility is essential for earning points.

Clearly identifying and documenting these effects can significantly influence the outcome of a PIP claim.

1. Preparing food.

Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. 0 points.
Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points.
Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. points. 2 points
Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points.
Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 4 points.
Cannot prepare and cook food. 8 points.

2. Taking nutrition.

Can take nutrition unaided. 0 points.
Needs –
1. to use an aid or appliance to be able to take nutrition; or
2. supervision to be able to take nutrition; or
3. assistance to be able to cut up food. 2 points.
Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition. 2 points.
Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. 4 points.
Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition. 6 points.
Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so. 10 points.

3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition.

Either –
1. does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or
2. can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided. 0 points.
Needs any one or more of the following –
1. to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage medication;
2. supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage medication.
3. supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to monitor a health condition. 1 point.
Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. 2 points.
Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week. 4 points.
Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. 6 points.
Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. 8 points.

4. Washing and bathing.

Can wash and bathe unaided. 0 points.
Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe. 2 points.
Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe. 2 points.
Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below the waist. 2 points.
Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower. 3 points.
Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist. 4 points.
Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. 8 points.

5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence.

Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided. 0 points.
Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence. 2 points.
Needs supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs. 2 points.
Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. 4 points.
Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel. 6 points.
Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel. 8 points.

6. Dressing and undressing.

Can dress and undress unaided. 0 points.
Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to dress or undress. 2 points.
Needs either –
1. prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed; or
2. prompting or assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing. 2 points.
Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body. 2 points.
Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body. 4 points.
Cannot dress or undress at all. 8 points.

7. Communicating verbally.

Can express and understand verbal information unaided. 0 points.
Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. 2 points.
Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. 4 points.
Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. 8 points.
Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. 12 points.

8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words.

Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using spectacles or contact lenses. 0 points.
Needs to use an aid or appliance, other than spectacles or contact lenses, to be able to read or understand either basic or complex written information. 2 points.
Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information. 2 points.
Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information. 4 points.
Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. 8 points.

9. Engaging with other people face to face.

Can engage with other people unaided. 0 points.
Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people. 2 points.
Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. 4 points.
Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either –
1. overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or
2. the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. 8 points.

10. Making budgeting decisions.

Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided. 0 points.
Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make complex budgeting decisions. 2 points.
Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions. 4 points.
Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. 6 points.

PIP Points Scores Mobility Activities

1. Planning and following journeys.

Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. 0 points.
Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 4 points.
Cannot plan the route of a journey. 8 points.
Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. 10 points.
Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 10 points.
Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. 12 points.

2. Moving around.

Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. 0 points.
Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. 4 points.
Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 8 points.
Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 10 points.
Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. 12 points.
Cannot, either aided or unaided, –
1. stand; or
2. move more than 1 metre. 12 points.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – Daily Living Component Points

To qualify for the daily living component of PIP, you must achieve:

8 points for the standard rate
12 points for the enhanced rate

Points are awarded based on your ability to complete specific daily living activities (activities 1-10 listed above).

Only one descriptor (point set) per activity can be counted. If multiple descriptors apply within the same activity, only the highest scoring descriptor will be used. For example:

Descriptor d: Needs assistance to wash either their hair or body below the waist – 2 points
Descriptor f: Needs assistance to wash their body between shoulders and waist – 4 points

If both descriptors apply, you would only receive 4 points for the ‘Washing and bathing’ activity. These points can then be combined with scores from other activities, such as ‘Dressing and undressing,’ to reach your total.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – Mobility Component Points

To qualify for the mobility component of PIP, you must score:

- 8 points for the standard rate
- 12 points for the enhanced rate

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Variable and Fluctuating Conditions

Evaluating an individual’s abilities over an extended period provides a clearer understanding of the effects of fluctuating conditions. Descriptor choices should therefore reflect abilities observed across a 12-month timeframe.

Descriptors apply when an individual’s condition affects their capability to perform an activity on more than 50% of days within the 12-month period, with the following guidelines:

If one specific descriptor is relevant for more than 50% of the days, select that descriptor.
If multiple descriptors apply for more than 50% of the days, choose the descriptor relevant for the greatest percentage of that time.
If no single descriptor applies for over 50% of the days, but several descriptors collectively exceed 50%—for example, descriptor ‘B’ applies on 40% of days and descriptor ‘C’ applies on 30% of days—select the descriptor applicable for the highest proportion of days.

Awaiting Treatment

When an individual is awaiting treatment or further medical intervention, predicting the outcome or occurrence of the treatment is challenging. Therefore, descriptor selection should reflect the ongoing impact of the health condition or impairment as if the treatment or intervention had not yet occurred.

Reliably, Timely, Repeatedly, and Safely

An individual must be able to carry out an activity reliably, promptly, repeatedly, and safely—using aids, appliances, or support from others (including a support dog for activity 10) where appropriate. If these conditions aren’t met, the individual should be assessed as unable to perform the described activity level.

Reliably: Completed to an acceptable standard.
Timely: Completed within twice the duration taken by someone without impairment.
Repeatedly: Performed as frequently as the specific activity typically requires, considering cumulative effects such as pain and fatigue, and their impact on subsequent activities.
Safely: Conducted without significant risk of harm to the individual or others, considering both direct harm and vulnerability to harm caused by others.

Risk and Safety

Assessing safety involves evaluating the risk of a significant adverse event occurring. Merely having a potential risk due to impairments is insufficient; there must be evidence indicating that the adverse event is likely if the activity is attempted.

Aids and Appliances

Assessments will account for the use of everyday aids and appliances:

Aids: Devices assisting with performing functions, such as walking sticks or glasses.
Appliances: Devices replacing or providing functions, such as artificial limbs, stoma devices, and wheelchairs.

Evaluations will consider regularly used aids and appliances, as well as affordable and commonly available ones that an individual with a particular impairment might reasonably be expected to use, even if they currently do not. Generally, individuals expected to use aids for activities will receive a higher scoring descriptor compared to those able to perform activities unaided.