Research and analysis

Summary: Applicants’ Journeys to Claiming PIP

Published 2 May 2025

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit which can help with extra living costs where someone has a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability which impacts their ability to do certain everyday tasks. From the moment when an individual first learns about PIP, a number of different possible ‘claim’ journeys are open to them. Their journey from that point may result in them submitting an application for the benefit or it may not, and either alternative may take a varying amount of time and will be subject to a number of influencing factors. The aim of this research is to learn more about these journeys and what shapes them, in order to understand how some applicant journeys can be better supported, and what differentiates those who apply (applicants) from those who may be eligible for PIP but do not submit an application (non-claimants).

This project included multiple research strands to try and build a rounded picture of journeys taken, and the people and factors which influence them. Research among both applicants and non-claimants highlights some notable similarities in their understandings (and, sometimes, misunderstandings) of what claiming PIP involves, as well as some common challenges to applying. There are a number of common misconceptions around the benefit, including that eligibility is in some way affected by working status or income, or that it is only available for people with particular health conditions or disabilities. These misconceptions can present barriers to people applying for PIP. It is also common for people to struggle to reconcile their own self-identity with their preconceptions of ‘someone who is disabled’ or ‘someone that claims benefits’. It is generally either heightened need or encouragement from an outside source that makes a difference here, spurring some on to apply while others decide not to. Finally, there is also a cost-benefit assessment that is made when deciding whether or not to apply for PIP; many non-claimants do not submit an application because they think the process will be difficult and they believe they are unlikely to receive an award at the end of it.

Interviews with both applicants and non-claimants highlight the influence that outside agents can have on a person’s PIP journey. This project specifically engaged advisors – people who give advice on PIP in either a formal or informal capacity – to better understand how these influential figures are informed and what motivates them to give advice. Some formal advisors work for organisations that specialise in benefits advice (e.g. charities offering advice services for particular communities or patient groups) and draw on training and experience when advising their clients. In other cases, medical professionals, social workers and others offer suggestions around possible eligibility in the course of their work. These advisors can also be highly influential, despite benefits advice generally not being a specific part of their job. Informal advisors can be friends, family members, colleagues or even just acquaintances whose suggestion of PIP as a possible source of help comes to a potential applicant at just the right time.

Some who are considering PIP are then prompted to conduct further research of their own, often turning to online sources to learn more. An accompanying study was conducted into online search behaviours around PIP which reveals some of the most common questions people have about the benefit, and which sites they access to answer these questions. The role of social media – in particular content from people with experience of applying – also seems to be notable in either helping applicants refine their application, or putting some off applying altogether.

Analysis of the journeys people take after first learning about PIP shows there are many potential challenges to both understanding and progressing through a claim journey, and multiple factors which shape the experience. The most influential of these include the nature of the health condition or disability they are experiencing, the length of time they have been experiencing it, and the extent to which they have access to an advisor. The role of advisors in prompting action, tackling misconceptions, and offering targeted advice throughout the application process is significant in a number of journeys, and journeys without such an advisor are more likely to end before an application is made. Other influencing factors include a person’s experience of and views towards the benefits system (as mentioned above, identity challenges can make people delay or rule out an application), their working status, and the presence or absence of emotional support. This project and previous work among applicants and customers has shown that the process is often emotionally demanding, and those without support networks to call on are less likely to successfully navigate the application process.

These factors, and some others, have been accounted for here in the process of identifying seven common journeys to claiming PIP. This project also incorporates qualitative findings from interviews with applicants, advisors, and non-claimants to better inform understandings of how people progress from the point of first learning about PIP, how some people end up applying (drawing on various sources of information and support) and some do not. It is clear that there is no clear rule to determine who applies and who does not, but rather a number of barriers and challenges common to all considering PIP which some are able to overcome and some are not.