PIP Eligibility: Who Can Claim PIP in 2026? (Simple Checklist)
By the RightfulUK team • • 4 min read • Reviewed for accuracy
Wondering if you're eligible for PIP? Personal Independence Payment isn't means-tested — it doesn't matter how much money you have or whether you work. It's based on how your condition affects your daily life.
Here's a simple checklist to find out if you can claim.
Basic Eligibility Criteria
To claim PIP you must:
✅ Be aged 16 or over (and under State Pension age when you first claim) ✅ Have a health condition or disability that has affected you for at least 3 months ✅ Expect it to continue for at least 9 months ✅ Live in England, Scotland, or Wales (Northern Ireland has a separate system) ✅ Have lived in the UK for at least 2 of the last 3 years
You DO NOT need to: - Be unemployed - Have a specific diagnosis - Have physical disabilities (mental health counts equally) - Have been on DLA before
What Conditions Qualify for PIP?
PIP isn't awarded for having a condition — it's awarded for how that condition affects you. ANY condition can qualify if it impacts your daily life, including:
Physical conditions: arthritis, fibromyalgia, COPD, MS, chronic pain, back problems, stroke, Parkinson's, heart disease, cancer
Mental health conditions: depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, personality disorders
Neurological conditions: epilepsy, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, brain injuries, dementia
Fluctuating conditions: ME/CFS, long COVID, Crohn's disease, endometriosis, lupus
You can have multiple conditions — and you should mention ALL of them on your form.
PIP Is Not Means-Tested
Unlike Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, PIP doesn't depend on your income or savings:
- You can work full-time and claim PIP - Your partner's income doesn't matter - Your savings don't matter - It's tax-free - It doesn't affect most other benefits
PIP is about the EXTRA COSTS of living with a disability, not about whether you're poor.
How Much Is PIP Worth?
PIP has two components:
Daily Living (how your condition affects daily activities): - Standard rate: £72.65/week (£3,777.80/year) - Enhanced rate: £108.55/week (£5,644.60/year)
Mobility (how your condition affects getting around): - Standard rate: £28.70/week (£1,492.40/year) - Enhanced rate: £75.75/week (£3,939.00/year)
You can get one or both components. Maximum: £184.30/week (£9,583.60/year).
How to Check If You Qualify
The quickest way to see if you might qualify:
1. Think about the activities you struggle with daily 2. Consider how your condition affects you on your WORST days 3. Note what help you need from other people 4. List the aids and adaptations you use
Our free PIP eligibility checker takes 5 minutes and gives you an estimated points score based on your answers.
Related Articles
- PIP Evidence Checklist: What Evidence to Send With Your Claim — 4 min read
- PIP Tribunal: What Actually Happens (From People Who've Been) — 5 min read
- PIP Assessment Trick Questions: How to Answer Honestly Without Hurting Your Claim — 5 min read
- PIP Help UK: Free Help With Your PIP Claim, Appeal & Tribunal (2026) — 6 min read
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