Can You Get PIP for ADHD? Complete Guide (2026)
By the RightfulUK team • • 6 min read • Reviewed for accuracy
ADHD affects your ability to plan, focus, manage time, and control impulses. These difficulties can score significant PIP points across multiple activities.
Yes, you can absolutely get PIP for ADHD. PIP is based on how your condition affects you, not on your diagnosis. ADHD commonly affects 7 or more of the 12 PIP activities.
Which PIP Activities Does ADHD Affect?
ADHD can score points on many PIP activities:
Preparing food (Activity 1) — Forgetting to eat, leaving cookers on, burning food due to inattention. Descriptor 1d (needs prompting) = 2 points. Descriptor 1e (needs supervision) = 4 points.
Taking nutrition (Activity 2) — Forgetting to eat during hyperfocus, skipping meals. Descriptor 2d (needs prompting) = 4 points.
Managing therapy (Activity 3) — Forgetting medication, dismissing alarms, losing pills. Descriptor 3b (needs prompting) = 1 point.
Washing and bathing (Activity 4) — Executive dysfunction making it hard to start or complete bathing. Descriptor 4c (needs prompting) = 2 points.
Managing toilet needs (Activity 5) — Getting distracted and not going in time. Descriptor 5c (needs prompting) = 2 points.
Dressing (Activity 6) — Needing reminders to change clothes, getting distracted mid-task. Descriptor 6c (needs prompting) = 2 points.
Reading and understanding (Activity 8) — Brain fog and inability to process dense text. Descriptor 8c (needs prompting) = 2 points.
Engaging with others (Activity 9) — Impulsivity, interrupting, saying inappropriate things. Descriptor 9b (needs prompting) = 2 points.
Budgeting (Activity 10) — Impulsive spending, inability to prioritise bills. Descriptor 10b (needs help with complex decisions) = 2 points.
Planning journeys (Activity 11) — Cannot plan routes, gets lost, anxiety about new places. Descriptor 11b (needs prompting) = 4 points.
Evidence Tips for ADHD PIP Claims
Strong evidence is crucial for ADHD PIP claims:
- Psychiatrist or psychologist letters confirming ADHD diagnosis and severity - Medication records showing treatment history and side effects - Examples of executive dysfunction — missed appointments, unpaid bills, fire risks - Bank statements showing impulsive spending patterns - Carer or family statements describing daily impact - Workplace or educational records showing accommodations needed
Key tip: Describe HOW ADHD affects you, not just that you have it. The DWP doesn't award points for diagnosis alone.
Common Mistakes in ADHD PIP Claims
Masking your difficulties — Many people with ADHD have learned to compensate. Don't describe your best-case scenario. Describe your majority of days.
Forgetting the reliability test — Even if you CAN cook a meal sometimes, ask: can you do it safely? Repeatedly? To an acceptable standard? In a reasonable time?
Not mentioning medication management — If someone reminds you to take ADHD medication, that's evidence of needing prompting.
Underestimating financial impact — Impulsive spending, debt, inability to budget — all score points under Activity 10.
How Many Points Can You Get?
With good evidence, ADHD can easily score 8+ points for Standard Rate Daily Living. Common scoring:
- Preparing food: 2-4 points - Taking nutrition: 4 points - Managing therapy: 1 point - Washing: 2 points - Dressing: 2 points - Engaging with others: 2-4 points - Budgeting: 2 points - Planning journeys: 4 points
Total potential: 19-23 points across Daily Living and Mobility.
Many ADHD claimants qualify for Enhanced Rate Daily Living (12+ points) with proper evidence.
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Related Tools & Guides
- Free PIP Eligibility Checker — estimate your likely points
- Mandatory Reconsideration Letter Builder — challenge the DWP decision
- Tribunal Preparation Tool — practice panel questions
- PIP Condition Guides — descriptors for your condition