Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

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How to claim

Before you apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), check if you’re eligible.

Find out how to claim if you live in Northern Ireland.

If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead.

Start your claim by phone

You need to:

  1. Call the ‘PIP new claims’ phone line. You’ll then be sent a form that asks about your condition.

  2. Complete and return the form. The address is on the form.

  3. You might need to have an assessment, if more information is needed.

There’s a different way to claim if you might have 12 months or less to live.

If you need someone to help you

You can:

  • ask for them to be added to your call - you cannot do this if you use textphone
  • ask someone else to call on your behalf - you’ll need to be with them when they call

Before you start

You’ll need:

  • your contact details, for example telephone number
  • your date of birth
  • your National Insurance number, if you have one (you can find this on letters about tax, pensions and benefits)
  • your bank or building society account number and sort code
  • your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
  • dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital
  • dates for any time you spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, and the countries you visited

PIP new claims phone line

Telephone: 0800 917 2222
Textphone: 0800 917 7777
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 917 2222
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Calling from abroad: +44 191 218 7766
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Start your claim by post

You can start a claim by post instead, but it takes longer to get a decision.

Send a letter to ‘Personal Independence Payment New Claims’.

You’ll be sent a form asking for your personal information, such as your address and your age. Fill in and return the form.

You’ll then be sent a form which asks about your disability or condition.

Personal Independence Payment New Claims
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 1AH

Completing and returning the form about your condition

If you apply by phone or post, you’ll usually get a form called ‘How your disability affects you’ within 2 weeks.

Fill in the form using the guidance that comes with it, and return it to the address on the form.

Include supporting documents if you have them - for example, prescription lists, care plans, or information from your doctor or others involved in your care.

You have 1 month to return it. Contact the PIP enquiry line if you need more time or have questions.

You can read Citizens Advice’s help on filling in the form.

Apply online

You can only apply for PIP online in some areas. You’ll need to check your postcode when you start your application.

To start your claim online you’ll need your:

  • National Insurance number

  • email address

  • mobile phone

Apply now

If you’ve already registered, you can sign in to your PIP account.

If you need to have an assessment

You’ll be invited to an assessment with a health professional if more information is needed. They’ll ask about:

They might ask you to do some simple movements to show how you manage some activities.

The assessment can be in person, over the phone or by video call. It usually takes 1 hour. If your assessment is in person, your invitation letter will explain how to attend your appointment safely.

You can read Citizens Advice’s help on preparing for an assessment.

Getting a decision

You’ll get a letter that tells you whether you’ll get PIP and the date of your first payment.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

View a printable version of the whole guide

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