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    UK PIP explained: 2026/27 rates, eligibility and the Timms Review

    Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a UK benefit that helps with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability. It does not depend on income or savings, and for 2026/27 it pays up to £114.60 a week for daily living and £80 for mobility.[1][2] After the government dropped plans to tighten eligibility in July 2025, the Timms Review published emerging recommendations in September 2026 and is due to report in autumn 2026.[3][4][5]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated ExplainerSocial welfare, Tech policy

    Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is the main UK benefit for the extra costs of disability for adults below State Pension age; Scotland has its own replacement.[1][6] It replaced Disability Living Allowance for adults in 2013 and is now going through its first full review.[7] Rates and rules below are for 2026/27 and change each April. Individual awards depend on an assessment, so check GOV.UK or an advice service before relying on them. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.

    Who qualifies

    PIP is for people aged 16 or over who have a long-term health condition or disability and find everyday tasks or getting around difficult. The difficulty must be expected to last at least a year.[1][6] It isn’t means-tested, so you can get it while working or with savings.[1] Mental health conditions count, including for the mobility part.[8] New claims usually have to be made before State Pension age. In Scotland you apply for Adult Disability Payment instead.[6]

    The mobility component is open to people whose difficulty getting around stems from cognitive or mental health conditions.[8] New claims generally require claimants to be under State Pension age. Social Security Scotland administers Adult Disability Payment in its place.[6] Between August 2021 and July 2026, 42% of normal-rules new claims were awarded, and 27% of mandatory reconsiderations changed the award.[9]

    What it pays in 2026/27

    ComponentStandard (weekly)Enhanced (weekly)
    Daily living£76.70[2]£114.60[2]
    Mobility£30.30[2]£80[2]

    PIP is tax free.[2] As at 31 July 2026, 4.1 million people in England and Wales were entitled to it, and 37% received the highest level of award.[10] New claims took a median of 18 weeks to decide in July 2026, against 15 weeks a year earlier.[11]

    Why PIP became a political fight

    The government says working-age PIP receipt has grown from 2 million in 2019 and is on course to pass 4 million by the end of the decade. It puts working-age spending at £22 billion and forecasts more than £30 billion a year by 2029-30.[12] In March 2025 it proposed that claimants would need at least four points on one daily living activity to qualify, from November 2026.[13] Facing a backbench rebellion, minister Sir Stephen Timms told the Commons on 1 July 2025 that the PIP clause would be removed and changes would wait for his review. The bill then passed by 335 votes to 260.[3] The resulting Universal Credit Act 2025 deals with Universal Credit and legacy benefits, not PIP.[14]

    The Timms Review

    The review is looking at how PIP assesses people and whether it fits modern life. It is co-chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, with Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson.[5][15] In September 2026 it shared early ideas. These include fewer repeat reviews for people with lifelong conditions, an easier claim form and clearer letters. The co-chairs stressed these are not final.[4]

    The terms of reference cover activities, descriptors and points. They say the aim is fairness rather than new savings, but recommendations must stay within OBR spending projections.[15] The government also plans to abolish the Work Capability Assessment, which would make the PIP assessment the single gateway to health-related benefits.[16] An interim report came out on 15 July 2026.[17] The September 2026 update described PIP as widely valued but “no longer fit for purpose” and said it should stay non-means-tested.[4] It also launched 15 workshops, for which nearly 4,000 people registered.[18] The final report goes to the Work and Pensions Secretary in autumn 2026, and the government has committed to reporting outcomes to Parliament.[5]

    Next in this course

    Follow developments in the disability benefits tracker, or go back to the disability benefits overview. For PIP’s interaction with older people’s care, see the elderly care explainer.

    Next in the crash course

    More in Social welfare

    Developing in World & Policy

    Questions readers ask

    Who can get PIP?

    People aged 16 or over with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability who have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around, expected to last at least 12 months. New claimants usually need to be under State Pension age, and people in Scotland apply for Adult Disability Payment instead.[1][6]

    How much is PIP in 2026/27?

    The daily living part is £76.70 a week (standard) or £114.60 (enhanced), and the mobility part is £30.30 or £80. PIP is tax free and not affected by income or savings.[2]

    Can I get PIP if I work?

    Yes. You can get PIP while working, with savings, or alongside most other benefits.[1]

    Can I get PIP for a mental health condition?

    Yes. GOV.UK says you can qualify for the mobility part if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, such as anxiety; you do not need a physical disability.[8]

    How long does a PIP claim take?

    In July 2026 new claims took a median of 18 weeks from registration to decision, up from 15 weeks a year earlier.[11]

    Is PIP changing?

    Not yet. A planned four-point rule was removed from the 2025 welfare bill, and any change to eligibility will follow the Timms Review, which is due to report in autumn 2026. Its September 2026 emerging recommendations are not final.[13][3][5][4]

    Sources

    · 18 claims from 4 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with extra living costs for people with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability who have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around. It can be claimed while working, with savings, or alongside most other benefits. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    2. [2]

      For 2026/27, the PIP daily living part is £76.70 a week at the standard rate and £114.60 at the enhanced rate, and the mobility part is £30.30 or £80. PIP is tax free and not affected by income or savings. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    3. [3]

      On 1 July 2025, hours before the Commons vote, minister Sir Stephen Timms said the PIP eligibility clause would be removed from the welfare bill and any changes would follow his review. The bill then passed its second reading by 335 votes to 260. confirmedas of 2025-07-02

    4. [4]

      On 11 September 2026 the review's co-chairs published emerging, not final, recommendations. They said evidence suggested PIP is widely valued but "no longer fit for purpose", and proposed fewer award reviews for people with lifelong or degenerative conditions, an easier PIP2 form and clearer DWP letters, while keeping PIP non-means-tested. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    5. [5]

      The Timms Review of PIP is co-chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson. It aims to report to the Work and Pensions Secretary in autumn 2026, and the government has committed to reporting its outcomes to Parliament. confirmedas of 2026-09-09

      • The Timms Review · GOV.UK (Department for Work and Pensions) (retrieved 2026-10-11)
      • The Timms Review · GOV.UK (Department for Work and Pensions) (retrieved 2026-10-11)
    6. [6]

      To get PIP you must be 16 or over and expect your difficulties to last at least 12 months, and you usually need to be under State Pension age to make a new claim. People in Scotland apply for Adult Disability Payment instead. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      PIP was introduced in 2013 to replace Disability Living Allowance for adults. Two independent reviews in 2014 and 2016 looked at the assessment process, but the benefit itself had never been fully reviewed before the Timms Review. confirmedas of 2025-10-30

    8. [8]

      PIP has two parts, a daily living part and a mobility part, and the mobility part can be awarded for difficulty getting around caused by cognitive or mental health conditions as well as physical ones. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      Between August 2021 and July 2026, 42% of normal-rules new PIP claims received an award, and 27% of mandatory reconsiderations led to a change in award. confirmedas of 2026-09-15

    10. [10]

      As at 31 July 2026, 4.1 million people in England and Wales were entitled to PIP, 2% more than in April 2026. Of these, 83% were of working age, and 37% received the highest level of award. confirmedas of 2026-09-15

    11. [11]

      In July 2026 new PIP claims took a median of 18 weeks from registration to decision, up from 15 weeks in July 2025. confirmedas of 2026-09-15

    12. [12]

      The UK government says working-age PIP receipt grew from 2 million in 2019 and is set to exceed 4 million by the end of the decade, with spending on working-age claimants doubling from £11 billion in 2019-20 to £22 billion and forecast to pass £30 billion a year by 2029-30. confirmedas of 2025-10-30

    13. [13]

      In March 2025 the UK government announced that from November 2026 PIP claimants would need to score at least four points on at least one daily living activity to qualify for the daily living part. confirmedas of 2025-07-02

    14. [14]

      The resulting Universal Credit Act 2025 was enacted on 3 September 2025. Its provisions cover the Universal Credit standard allowance, the health element (LCWRA) and legacy Employment and Support Allowance, not PIP. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

      • Universal Credit Act 2025 · legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · 2025-09-03 · Contents, section titles (retrieved 2026-10-11)
      • Universal Credit Act 2025 · legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · 2025-09-03 · Contents, section titles (retrieved 2026-10-11)
      • The Timms Review · GOV.UK (Department for Work and Pensions) (retrieved 2026-10-11)
    15. [15]

      The review's terms of reference cover PIP's assessment criteria, including activities, descriptors and points. The review is meant to make PIP fair rather than to find further savings, but must stay within the Office for Budget Responsibility's projections for PIP spending. confirmedas of 2025-10-30

    16. [16]

      The UK government plans to remove the Work Capability Assessment, after which the PIP assessment would become the single gateway to health-related and disability benefits. confirmedas of 2025-10-30

    17. [17]

      The Timms Review published an interim report on 15 July 2026, setting out emerging themes ahead of recommendations to the Secretary of State in the autumn. confirmedas of 2026-07-15

    18. [18]

      The review planned 15 workshops across the UK from 15 September 2026, for which nearly 4,000 people registered interest, and said its final report would come later in the autumn. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Dec 15, 2026.

    Cite this page

    "UK PIP explained: 2026/27 rates, eligibility and the Timms Review." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/explain/uk-pip-explained

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