Health conditions most at risk of losing PIP in massive DWP changes | Personal Finance | Finance
New analysis by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has detailed which conditions could be most at risk of not qualifying under the new PIP eligibility criteria set to be introduced in November 2026. Currently, people must score at least eight points across 10 questions in the daily living assessment to qualify at all for Personal Independence Payments.
Under the welfare reforms proposed by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall, claimants will also need to score a minimum of four points on any single question. The latest DWP figures reveal how many current benefit recipients do not meet this criteria – and leading the list is those claiming for back pain. A total of 79% of claimants citing this as their primary condition scored less than four points on a single question during their assessment.
Similarly, 71% of individuals with chronic pain syndromes, 62% of people with cardiovascular diseases and 55% of those with respiratory diseases could potentially lose their benefit, according to the Daily Record.
The other main condition groups and the number of claimants that do not meet the four-point requirement, as revealed in the DWP figures, include:
- Regional Musculoskeletal Diseases – 71%
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuropathic Diseases – 48%
- All other conditions – 46%
- Other neurological diseases – 36%
- Cerebrovascular diseases – 34%
- Cancer – 33%
- Epilepsy – 30%
- Other psychiatric disorders – 28%
- Cerebral Palsy and Neurological Muscular Diseases – 24%
- Psychotic disorders – 23%
- ADHD/ADD – 19%
- Autism spectrum disorders – 6%
- Learning disabilities – 3%
- Arthritis – 6%
The category ‘all other conditions’ encompasses issues that make up a small proportion of PIP claims such as visual diseases, skin disease, hearing disorders and autoimmune diseases.
Kendall’s welfare reform will only impact the daily living aspect of PIP. The mobility element, which offers £29.20 for the standard rate and £77.05 for the enhanced rate, is set to remain unchanged.
The daily living element does offer higher weekly sums, at £73.90 for the standard rate and £110.40 for the enhanced rate. Currently, to get the standard rate you need to score a total of eight points in the assessment, and a total of 12 or more points to get the enhanced rate.
The assessment evaluates how safely, effectively and promptly you can perform certain tasks, scoring you based on the level of assistance or equipment required to complete them. The 10 tasks and their maximum points are as follows:
- Preparing food – 8
- Taking medication – 10
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition – 8
- Washing and bathing – 8
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence – 8
- Dressing and undressing – 8
- Communicating verbally – 12
- Reading and understanding symbols and words – 8
- Engaging with other people face to face – 8
- Making budgeting decisions – 6
