Can I get PIP for Severe ME/CFS?

Yes, Severe ME/CFS can qualify for PIP if it affects your daily living or mobility activities. You could receive up to 12 points per affected descriptor. PIP is not based on your diagnosis alone — it’s about how your condition affects you day to day.

How many PIP points can I get for Severe ME/CFS?

The points depend on how Severe ME/CFS affects each activity. Across 2 relevant descriptors, you could receive up to 12 points per descriptor. You need 8 points for standard rate and 12 for enhanced rate.

What evidence do I need for a Severe ME/CFS PIP claim?

For a Severe ME/CFS PIP claim, you should gather: a letter from your GP or specialist confirming your diagnosis and how it affects you, any hospital or clinic letters, medication lists, and statements from people who help you. The more evidence showing how Severe ME/CFS affects your daily activities, the stronger your claim.

What if my Severe ME/CFS PIP claim is denied?

If your Severe ME/CFS PIP claim is denied, you have one month to request a Mandatory Reconsideration. If that fails, you can appeal to an independent tribunal — where 73% of PIP appeals succeed. Use our free Mandatory Reconsideration letter builder to challenge the decision.

How does the PIP assessment work for Severe ME/CFS?

The PIP assessment for Severe ME/CFS involves a health professional asking how your condition affects 12 daily living and mobility activities. They score you using descriptors. Always answer based on your worst days, not your best. Remember the reliability test: can you do it safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, and in a reasonable time?

Severe ME/CFS and PIP: Complete Guide to Descriptors & Points

If you have Severe ME/CFS, you may be entitled to PIP (Personal Independence Payment). This guide shows which PIP descriptors apply to your condition and how many points you could receive.

Last updated: February 2026 | Based on Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013

Which PIP Activities Does Severe ME/CFS Affect?

Preparing food

Descriptor 1f: Cannot prepare and cook food — 8 points (e.g. sensory overload prevents entering kitchen, cannot stand or sit safely)

Moving around

Descriptor 12f: Cannot stand or move more than 1 metre even with aid — 12 points (e.g. wheelchair user, bedbound)

How to Claim PIP for Severe ME/CFS

Use our free PIP eligibility checker to estimate your points
Answer based on your worst days, not your best days
Remember the reliability test: can you do it safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, in a reasonable time?
Gather supporting evidence from your GP or specialist

Already Been Denied?

73% of PIP appeals succeed at tribunal. If you’ve been denied, use our Mandatory Reconsideration letter builder to challenge the decision.