PIP mistake that could be stopping people from claiming hundreds | Personal Finance | Finance

PIP can provide anywhere from £30.30 per week up to £778 per month for people with long term health conditions or disabilities. It’s meant to help cover the extra costs and barriers they face in day-to-day life due to their health but the application process is notoriously difficult. The disability benefit is not based on your diagnosis alone. Instead, your eligibility and which rate you can receive is based on how your health condition affects your mobility and day-to-day living.

Because of this, people need to be clear and detailed about how their life is affected by their disability when filling out their PIP application form. According to PIP Guide, one of the most common mistakes applicants make is not adding enough detail.

If an applicant doesn’t thoroughly describe the difficulties they are living with, the DWP may not be able to award them the points needed for them to qualify for the benefit. The PIP Guide also recommends: “Always provide real-life examples and describe what happens on your worst days.”

Many disabled people also have a tendency to downplay their needs or difficulties as a coping mechanism to avoid feeling embarrassed, like they are a burden or sounding like they are constantly complaining.

However, understating their needs on the PIP application can also potentially see their claim being rejected or receiving a lower rate than they may actually be entitled to. People who struggle to include all the necessary details on their applications or need help with their claim can speak to Citizens Advice for help, as well as local disability support groups.

Over the last five years, the DWP has only given PIP awards to 43% of new claims under the normal rules according to the latest Government data. This excludes cases that were withdrawn, went through DLA reassessments or used the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL).

A total of 99% of claims under SREL were awarded PIP during this same time period. These rules void some of the eligibility criteria and ensure a quicker application and higher rate of payment for people who have been diagnosed as nearing the end of their lives.

Currently, to be eligible to claim benefits under SREL, both of the following have to apply:

• You have an illness that gets worse over time
• Your doctor or medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live

If you haven’t been told how long you might live for, as this can be difficult to predict, you may be able to ask your medical professional to support your claim under the SREL. People applying under these rules will also face a different application process than other benefit claimants.