Pip cuts

As I understand it’s from next year for new applicants or those being reassessed?

That’s correct Jaxjacky. The changes come in in November 2026 and will apply to new applications or reassessments. The OP will have to score a minimum of four points on one of the daily living activities to continue to receive PIP. The intention is that PIP will in future be given to those most in need. Currently around 1,000 new applications are made every day.

The bar has been raised very high and I disagree that it will be given to those most in need! You'd need to be permanently bedbound probably to get 4 points in one category! Even if you can't get in and out of a shower, cook or cut up your food you wouldn't get 4 points.

It would mean losing £300 towards paying for care and aids.

There is a petition here, started by a Labour MP. Although it affects me personally, I am more outraged for other people with severe disability. Especially those who live alone.

www.change.org/p/tax-wealth-don-t-cut-disability-support

Over £300 a month that is, for the lower rate of daily living allowance. It is quite simply a disability benefit, based on need, nothing to do with whether you can work or not. I have no idea how many applications there are a month, but it is notoriously hard to get and the majority are turned down. So the bar is already very high.

It is quite simply throwing many disabled people on the scrap heap. Having a severe disability can be extremely expensive.

gentleshores

The bar has been raised very high and I disagree that it will be given to those most in need! You'd need to be permanently bedbound probably to get 4 points in one category! Even if you can't get in and out of a shower, cook or cut up your food you wouldn't get 4 points.

It would mean losing £300 towards paying for care and aids.

There is a petition here, started by a Labour MP. Although it affects me personally, I am more outraged for other people with severe disability. Especially those who live alone.

www.change.org/p/tax-wealth-don-t-cut-disability-support

Surely you would get 4 points for not being able to cook or cut up your food: Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 4 points.

No. Because they ask questions like - could you just put something in the microwave. Then you're classed as being able to cook a simple meal. It's hard enough to get two points awarded on that, never mind 4.

Washing for example. It used to be if you needed assistance washing the lower half. Now it's if you need assistance washing the upper half.

There are people in very bad states who tick they can't cook a simple meal, but the interviewer decides otherwise. It's a lengthy interview - hours sometimes. It's why so many people are turned down. So they say - well if you can do xyz then you can cook a simple meal. And you then have to explain in detail what the difference is, or how you may be too exhausted one day. If you're not too exhausted every day then it's classed as being able to cook a simple meal. The assessment is very different from the questionnaire. And if you can physically use one hand to put something in a microwave then you don't get those points. Even if you can't bend to get something out of the fridge!

It does help if you send medical evidence but ultimately it comes down to being asked a lot of questions over a very long time.

Some of the questions are noddy. Only 2 points if you can't get in or out of a bath or shower without assistance. But 4 points if you can't wash between your waist and shoulders.

So what if you can get in the bath but can't get out again? No points. How you're supposed to be able to wash your upper half if you can't get in or out of a bath or shower ..... it doesn't make sense. If you need assistance, and only get 2 points - no money to pay for the assistance.

Many claimants unfortunately do not fully understand the criteria and therefore do not respond appropriately to the questions, unless they have good support. Some have not even bothered to look at the descriptors and how points are scored.
It is not easy to make a successful claim and sometimes the assessor’s report seems to bear no relation to what the claimant has said.
The criteria are reliability, being able to perform the activities to a satisfactory standard, repeatedly- as often as you need to, and within a reasonable time scale.
If a claim is turned down it should be challenged, by requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month. The chances are it won’t be changed but once the decision is given you can appeal and need to help to do so.

Yes that is a good point. The main issue is the bar has been raised much higher. Previously if you "scored" 8 points you were eligible for help. That might be 2 points in four sections. Now you have to still score 8 points but it must be at least 4 points in one section. And the 4 points exclude people who need help to get in and out of a bath or shower.

I read that thousands of disabled people will lose their daily living allowance as a result of this. 50% of applications are turned down as it is.

I don't think the Government should be making things harder for people with disabilities. It has nothing to do with whether they work or not but about the cost of living with a disability and having to pay for extra things and care.

Also even if you respond appropriately to all the questions with guidance, the determination is made after the interview. The interviewer can conclude things by the questions they ask - if you haven't had one it's hard to explain.

800,000 people apparently stand to lose the daily living allowance. Partly this is because if at previous assessment they scored 2 points for something, they will not be expected to score any higher at a new assessment after the changes. Despite the fact they still "score" 8 points. Unless a condition has worsened.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/08/ill-disabled-people-uk-benefit-cuts-policy-in-practice

For example I thought I should have scored more points on various sections last time - some things were ignored or dismissed. But I didn't challenge it because overall I had enough points and was awarded the lower level amount. Now I'm regretting not challenging it. Because they will look at previous "scores" at next assessment.

gentleshores

No. Because they ask questions like - could you just put something in the microwave. Then you're classed as being able to cook a simple meal. It's hard enough to get two points awarded on that, never mind 4.

Washing for example. It used to be if you needed assistance washing the lower half. Now it's if you need assistance washing the upper half.

In that case it's not true that you can't cook your own food.

gentleshores

Some of the questions are noddy. Only 2 points if you can't get in or out of a bath or shower without assistance. But 4 points if you can't wash between your waist and shoulders.

So what if you can get in the bath but can't get out again? No points. How you're supposed to be able to wash your upper half if you can't get in or out of a bath or shower ..... it doesn't make sense. If you need assistance, and only get 2 points - no money to pay for the assistance.

I'm confused. If you can't get in or out of a bath or shower without assistance, surely it's two points - because you can't get out.

TBH I'd score two points on some days because I find it difficult to get out of a bath, especially if I've used any slippery bath gel. However, I'd seriously worry if I couldn't wash my upper half. I just stand naked in front of a bowel of water with a facecloth and soap.

As I understand it , it’s new claimants from next year.

I think it will be new claimants plus those who have a review coming up, when it comes up. This does need clarification however. It may already be in the "small print".

I don’t think DWP introduce s change which results in existing awards being reduced. It’s usually from a future date and existing recipients continue receiving same amount.

I am in complete agreement with keeping or even raising PIP for genuine cases.
However I believe there must be thousands of scroungers who actually have no right to this benefit. I personally know at least three people I doubt should be in receipt of it.
One older lady in particular, who proudly announces that she has successfully claimed this benefit for her immobility, plays golf 2 or 3 times a week and doesn’t use a buggy.

Awards can differ in length from 9 months to"indefinite" which is defined atm as 10 years.

"An indefinite PIP award, also known as an ongoing award, means the benefit is paid until the claimant's circumstances change, but with a "light touch" review after 10 years. This review will not be a full assessment, but rather a check on whether the claimant's needs remain stable and whether there are any changes to their contact or bank details" (well, that how things stand now)

One change proposed which is good is to make "indefinite" literally that in clear cases..