Can I claim PIP if I’m working? How employment status or savings can impact eligibility for DWP benefits
The personal independence payment (PIP) is a Government benefit for anyone who faces barriers in their everyday lives due to a long-term illness or disability. Some 3 million people in England and Wales claim the payment, with more than a third of them receiving the highest level.
Many people assume that working and earning a decent wage means you are not entitled to benefits, but this is not the case for PIP.
Unlike employment support allowance (ESA), which is for people who struggle to work because of a condition, PIP is focused on how you live your life. It is also not means-tested, so you do not have to worry about any savings making you ineligible.
Can I claim PIP if I’m working?
The short answer is yes, working people can claim PIP if they deal with a condition that affects their everyday lives.
Your employment status does not affect your eligibility for PIP. Instead, your application is considered based on whether you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. There are different levels of the payment, and it is split into two parts: one based on your mobility needs, the other based on your ability to complete everyday tasks.
In fact, PIP is generally for working-age people. So, whether or not you’re currently employed, you usually need to be under the state pension age to claim it.
If you are retired and have not previously received PIP, you should probably be looking instead at attendance allowance, as well as any possible enhancements to pension credit. In Scotland, PIP is being replaced by the adult disability payment (ADP), so if you live north of the border you should look into that instead.
What affects my eligibility for PIP?
You can still get PIP even if you have savings. The money you have in your bank account is not taken into account when you apply.
PIP is also tax free, so you do not have to worry about it affecting how much tax you need to pay overall.
The main thing that entitles you to PIP is your condition and how it affects you. Financial considerations are not assessed when you make an application, as the money is intended to address the additional costs of living for those who have a disability or illness.
Not every PIP claim is successful, however, with 52 per cent of applications accepted. The success rate varies widely depending on what kind of condition you have. Even if you have a condition which is commonly awarded the benefit, you need to make sure your application is thorough and explains exactly how your mobility or everyday tasks are impacted by the disability or illness.
Other than the condition itself, the only other factor which could affect your elibility for PIP is a handful of other benefits, for those in specific situations.
If you were injured while serving in the Armed Forces, then you should probably be receiving the Armed Forces independence payment (AFIP) instead. You cannot claim both PIP and AFIP at the same time.
If you get war pensioners’ mobility supplement, then you will not get the mobility part of PIP.
And if you get constant attendance allowance, you’ll get less of the daily living part of PIP.
Otherwise, your financial circumstances have no effect on your PIP claim. You can get it even if you are working, have savings, or receive other benefits.
