PIP is a disability benefit that is awarded to people who need help with everyday tasks due to an illness, disability or mental health condition
If you claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) then you should be aware of all the extra support you could be entitled to. PIP is a disability benefit that is awarded to people who need help with everyday tasks due to an illness, disability or mental health condition.
You are scored on how your condition affects your life, rather than PIP being awarded just because you have a particular illness or disability.
The disability benefit and the maximum weekly payment you can get sits at £187.45 a week. It is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). But alongside the benefit, claimants can also claim multiple different extra support to help them with their daily lives.
This can include Blue Badges, capped water bills, and council tax discounts. Here we highlight just some of the discounts and support you can get.
Blue Badge
A Blue Badge is a permit that allows disabled people to park closer to their destination. You can apply for your Blue Badge from your local council. They are sometimes free, although some councils do charge. If there is a fee, it is typically £10.
To be eligible, you’ll need to have a disability that limits your movement and ability to walk. You can also get one if you are registered blind.
Capped water bills
You may be entitled to help with your water bill if you claim PIP through the WaterSure Scheme. To be eligible, someone in your household needs to use a lot of water due to your medical condition.
The exact eligibility varies between water suppliers, so it is best to get in touch with your utility provider to see what help it can offer you.
Council tax discounts
You might be able to get a council tax discount if you claim PIP. The exact eligibility criteria again depends on your local council – so contact your local authority as soon as possible to find out if you’re entitled to support.
If you’re classed as “severely mentally impaired” and you live alone, then you could be exempt from paying council tax.
Disability premium
If you claim PIP and other benefits, you may be entitled to additional top-ups, known as disability premium. You have to be claiming one of the following benefits:
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
There are three different types of disability premiums:
Disability premium
- £43.20 a week for a single person
- £61.65 a week for a couple
Severe disability premium
- £82.90 a week for a single person
- £165.80 a week for a couple if you’re both eligible
Some couples will be eligible for the lower amount of £81.50 a week instead
Enhanced disability premium
- £21.20 a week for a single person
- £30.25 a week for a couple if at least one of you is eligible
Free grant to improve your home
You can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home. For example, if you need to widen doors and install ramps or rails.
You will need to be assessed to check your eligibility for the support. If you live in England you can get up to £30,000 worth of support, up to £36,000 in Wales and up to £25,000 in Northern Ireland. Some councils may give more.
You can apply through your local council which must give you a decision within six months. The grants are not available for households in Scotland.
Free prescriptions
You may be entitled to free NHS prescriptions by getting a Medical Exemption Certificate if you have a specified medical condition and claim PIP. According to the NHS website, the conditions which are eligible for a medical exemption card include:
- a permanent fistula (for example, caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) which needs continuous surgical dressing or an appliance
- a form of hypoadrenalism (for example, Addison’s Disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
- diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism
- diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone
- hypoparathyroidism
- myasthenia gravis
- myxoedema (that is, hypothyroidism which needs thyroid hormone replacement)
- epilepsy which needs continuous anticonvulsive therapy
- a continuing physical disability which means you cannot go out without the help of another person
- cancer and are undergoing treatment for either cancer, the effects of cancer, or the effects of cancer treatment
Help with brand-new car
If you’ve been awarded the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP then you could be eligible for help with leasing a car through the Motability Scheme.
This is where you can trade some or all of your PIP earnings toward the cost of a brand-new car, wheelchair-accessible vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair.
Insurance, tax and servicing are all included. You can look into the scheme and the selection of the vehicles available through the Motability Scheme website.
Vehicle tax reduction
If you’re receiving the standard rate mobility component of PIP you can get a 50% reduction in vehicle tax. To get the discount, the vehicle you’re getting reduced tax on must be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name.
You can claim this discount when applying for vehicle tax. If you receive the mobility component at the enhanced rate, you can apply for a complete vehicle tax exemption instead – meaning you get a 100% discount.
Toll roads and travel discounts
The majority of toll roads and congestion schemes in the UK offer a concession to disabled people, such as those who claim the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP. This discount includes river crossings, bridges and tunnels.
People who claim PIP can also get a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass and a Disabled Person’s Railcard. The bus pass is managed by local councils as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.
You can contact your local council on how to get one. The railcard costs £20 per year or £54 for three years. It gives you a third off rail travel and the average annual savings are around £91.