Under changes being put forward, you would need a minimum of four points in at least one activity to get the daily living part of PIP from November 2026
A new online test that shows you whether you would qualify for Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ) under the new tightened eligibility criteria. The Government is proposing major changes to the disability benefit that would make it harder to claim.
PIP is awarded to people who have a health condition or disability that need extra help with daily activities. There are two parts to PIP – the daily living and mobility – and you can be eligible for payments for one, or both of these components. The majority of people need to have an assessment where they are asked questions about their condition and their ability to complete tasks is assessed.
The assessment is completed using a points system. To get the standard rate of the daily living or mobility parts of PIP, you need between eight and 11 points. The higher rate for each component is awarded to people who score 12 points or more. But under changes being put forward, you would need a minimum of four points in at least one activity to get the daily living part of PIP from November 2026.
The assessment for the PIP mobility component is not changing. You can currently qualify for PIP if you score lower points across a range of tasks – so the changes mean only those that need more help and score the four points in one activity would be eligible for the daily living part of PIP.
If you’re terminally ill, you normally get PIP automatically without having an assessment. Leading benefits website Benefits and Work has now published an updated PIP test online that uses the new eligibility criteria, to show you whether you would still qualify for the benefit under the changes. You can find the questions and points awarded below.
Other changes announced this week, include the majority of PIP assessments being done face-to-face going forward, rather than over the phone or through video. The Government said “reasonable adjustments” will still be made for people who cannot attend a face-to-face assessment.
PIP is currently awarded for a fixed period of time, normally between nine months and ten years. The Government will introduce more frequent reassessments for PIP claimants, although the most severely disabled will no longer face reassessments under the plans announced this week.
Daily living
Preparing food
1a. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. (0 points)
1b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. (2 points)
1c. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. (2 points)
1d. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. (2 points)
1e. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. (4 points)
1f. Cannot prepare and cook food. (8 points)
Taking nutrition
2a. Can take nutrition unaided. (0 points)
2b. Needs either – (i) to use an aid or appliance to take nutrition; or (ii) supervision to be able to take nutrition; or (iii) assistance to be able to cut up food. (2 points)
2c. Needs a therapeutic source to take nutrition. (2 points)
2d. Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. (4 points)
2e. Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition. (6 points)
2f. Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so. (10 points)
Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
3a. Either – (i) does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or (ii) can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided. (0 points)
3b. Needs any one or more of the following – (i) to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage medication; (ii) supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage medication; (iii) supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to monitor a health condition. (1 point)
3c. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. (2 points)
3d. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week. (4 points)
3e. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. (6 points)
3f. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. (8 points)
Washing and bathing
4a. Can wash and bathe unaided. (0 points)
4b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe. (2 points)
4c. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe. (2 points)
4d. Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below the waist. (2 points)
4e. Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower. (3 points)
4f. Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist. (4 points)
4g. Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. (8 points)
Managing toilet needs or incontinence
5a. Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided. (0 points)
5b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence. (2 points)
5c. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs. (2 points)
5d. Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. (4 points)
5e. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel. (6 points)
5f. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel. (8 points)
Dressing and undressing
6a. Can dress and undress unaided. (0 points)
6b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to dress or undress. (2 points)
6c. Needs either – (i) prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed; or (ii) prompting or assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing. (2 points)
6d. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body. (2 points)
6e. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body. (4 points)
6f. Cannot dress or undress at all. (8 points)
Communicating
7a. Can express and understand verbal information unaided. (0 points)
7b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. (2 points)
7c. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. (4 points)
7d. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. (8 points)
7e. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. (12 points)
Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
8a. Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using spectacles or contact lenses. (0 points)
8b. Needs to use an aid or appliance, other than spectacles or contact lenses, to be able to read or understand either basic or complex written information. (2 points)
8c. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information. (2 points)
8d. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information. (4 points)
8e. Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. (8 points)
Engaging with other people face to face
9a. Can engage with other people unaided. (0 points)
9b. Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people. (2 points)
9c. Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. (4 points)
9d. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either – (i) overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or (ii) the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. (8 points)
Making budgeting decisions
10a. Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided. (0 points)
10b. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make complex budgeting decisions. (2 points)
10c. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions. (4 points)
10d. Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. (6 points)
Mobility
Planning and following journeys
11a. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. (0 points)
11b. Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. (4 points)
11c. Cannot plan the route of a journey. (8 points)
11d. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. (10 points)
11e. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. (10 points)
11f. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. (12 points)
Moving around
12a. Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. (0 points)
12b. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. (4 points)
12c. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. (8 points)
12d. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. (10 points)
12e. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. (12 points)
12f. Cannot, either aided or unaided, (i) stand; or (ii) move more than 1 metre. (12 points)
READ MORE: Boots shoppers bag £170 worth of free luxury beauty including Estee Lauder in Easter deal
