Guidance

Managing medication and monitoring a health condition: changes to PIP law from 28 November 2016 to 15 March 2017

Updated 4 April 2022

Background

When applying for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) considers your ability to manage medication and monitor a health condition.

Change to PIP law

From 28 November 2016 there was a change to the way we assess the need for supervision, prompting or assistance to manage medication and monitor a health condition. The law was changed again on 16 March 2017.

DWP will now look at whether you needed supervision, prompting or assistance to both manage medication and monitor a health condition from 28 November 2016 to 15 March 2017 only.

What this means for you

We’re looking at PIP claims which we think are most likely to be affected by this change and be eligible for more support. This includes looking again at some claims we decided on or after 28 November 2016 and before 16 March 2017 where we did not award PIP.

We will not look again at claims if the enhanced rate of the daily living part of PIP has been awarded:

  • continuously since 28 November 2016
  • from the start of your claim if you claimed PIP after 28 November 2016

If we decide that you should get more PIP then your award will usually be backdated to 28 November 2016, or if you claimed PIP after 28 November 2016 backdated to the date you started getting PIP.

Extra PIP can only be paid until 15 March 2017 as PIP law changed on 16 March 2017.

We’re not planning to invite you to a face-to-face assessment as part of this review.

The change to how managing medication and monitoring a health condition is considered is a result of an Upper Tribunal judgment. This judgment also changed PIP law for special diet as therapy from 28 November 2016.

Help with PIP

You can contact a local support organisation or Citizens Advice to get help understanding PIP.