• Personal Independence Payment - A Guide to Claiming

From October 2015, the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be rolled out to everyone who currently receives Disability Living Allowance (DLA), including those who have indefinite awards.  This includes most people with learning disability, many of who have been receiving the benefit for many years.  It is anticipated that fewer people will receive PIP than received DLA, so it’s important that our members who receive DLA are aware of the changes and how to continue qualifying for this important benefit.

There are two elements of PIP, each of which has a Standard and an Enhanced rate.  There are now only two rates of Daily Living Element.  You can check the current rates of Personal Independence Payment by clicking here.  When applicants are applying for PIP, they will be asked a number of questions about how their disability affects them on a daily basis, and to be quite specific about this.  A points system is used in order to assess eligibility, and applicants will also be asked to supply supporting references from healthcare specialists, social workers, and support staff.

We realise that applying for any benefit can be a daunting experience, especially for people who have limited cognitive or communication skills.  The full rules are too complex to describe in detail here, but as ever with benefit claims, there are three key bits of advice to follow:

• Don’t ignore correspondence from the DWP.
• If you don’t understand something, get advice from someone who does.
• Don’t take no for an answer if you are refused the benefit first time but still feel you qualify.

The Learning Disability Alliance Scotland has produced an excellent leaflet which describes the application process and what you should do very clearly and in an accessible way.  You can access this by clicking here.  If you would like us to send you a paper copy, please let us know.