Dozens of health conditions could make you entitled to claim £156 a week from DWP – here’s the full list
THOUSANDS of people who suffer from dozens of health conditions could be missing out on an extra £156 a week.
Just short of three million people in the UK were claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP) by the end of April, according to the latest official figures.
Personal Independence Payment, or PIP for short, is a benefit for those who struggle with any health condition or disability.
Those aged 16 or over who have not reached state pension age are eligible.
But it is believed millions more may be entitled due to their health issue.
As many as 70 health conditions which could entitle you to a payment.
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Anyone suffering with asthma, sleep apnea, pneumonia and more could qualify for the support.
And the DWP says 35 per cent of PIP claimants land the full amount, which could be over £600 a month.
In order to claim PIP, you would have to be assessed by a health professional to establish a health disability and work out how much you would be entitled to claim.
The assessment would also need to demonstrate that you have had difficulties with daily living for three months or expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months.
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These are the 70 health conditions that have received payment from the DWP.
We explain how you can qualify - and how much you can get.
How much is PIP?
There are two elements to PIP: a daily living part if you need help with everyday tasks, and a mobility part if you need help with getting around.
There are two rates for each part - standard or enhanced - depending on the level of your needs.
The rates are below:
Daily living support
- Standard rate - £61.85 a week - equivalent to £247.40 a month, or £3,216.20 a year.
- Enhanced rate - £92.40 a week - equivalent to £369.60 a month, or £4,804.80 a year.
Mobility support
- Standard rate - £24.45 a week - equivalent to £97.80 a month, or £1,271.40 a year.
- Enhanced rate - £64.50 a week - equivalent to £258 a month, or £3,354 a year.
That means you could could receive up to £156.90 if you get the higher weekly rate for both parts.
Receiving PIP payments also qualifies recipients for the £150 cost of living payment, which was paid earlier this week.
What health conditions qualify you for the help?
There are 70 health conditions that qualify you for the help. Here's what they are:
Cerebrovascular disease
- Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- Cerebrovascular disease - Other / type not known
- Transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs - also referred to as a "mini-stroke")
Epilepsy
- Cataplexy (a sudden muscle weakness that occurs when someone is awake)
- Generalised seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Generalised seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Narcolepsy (rare brain condition that causes people to fall asleep)
- Partial seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Partial seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Seizures - unclassified
- Sleep apnea
Non epileptic disturbance of consciousness
- Disturbances of consciousness - Non-epileptic - Other / type not known
- Drop attacks (sudden falls that occur without triggers)
- Non epileptic Attack disorder (pseudoseizures)
- Stokes Adams attacks (cardiovascular syncope - collapsing without warning)
- Syncope - Other / type not known
Movement disorders
- Blepharospasm (non-deliberate blinking or twitching from the eyelids)
- Essential tremor - benign
- Huntington's disease
- Movement disorders - Other / type not known
- Parkinson's disease
- Parkinson's syndrome / Parkinsonism
- Torticollis (tightness and cramp in neck muscles)
- Tourette's syndrome
- Writer's cramp
- Multiple sclerosis
Benign tumours
- Neurofibromatosis (condition that causes tumours to grow on the nerves)
- Tumours - benign - Other / type not known
Headache
- Hydrocephalus (build-up of fluid on the brain)
- Dizziness - cause not specified
- Headache - Other causes of / cause not known
- Migraine
Head injury
- Head injury - Cognitive and sensorimotor impairment
- Head injury - Cognitive impairment
- Head injury - Sensorimotor impairment
Spinal cord compression
- Paraplegia (traumatic) - (loss of movement in the legs)
- Spinal cord compression - Other causes of / cause not known
- Syringomyelia / Syringobulbia (rare spinal injury)
- Tetraplegia (traumatic) - (inability to move upper or lower parts of your body)
Degenerative neuronal diseases
- Degenerative neuronal diseases - Other / type not known
- Motor neurone disease
Cerebral palsy
- Cerebral palsy - Ataxic
- Cerebral palsy - Athetoid
- Cerebral palsy - Diplegic
- Cerebral palsy - Hemiplegic
- Cerebral palsy - Other / type not known
- Cerebral palsy - Quadriplegic
Spina bifida
Ataxia
- Ataxia - Friedrich's (inherited disorder that affects the nerves)
- Ataxias - Other / type not known
Neuropathy
- Charcot Marie Tooth disease (inherited disorder that affects the nerves)
- Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage)
- Guillain Barre syndrome (rare conditions that affects the nerves)
- Neuropathies - Other / type not known including peripheral
Peripheral nerve injury
- Brachial plexus (nerve damage in the shoulder, arm and hand)
- Peripheral nerve injury - Other / type not known
Disease of muscle
- Dermatomyositis (rare condition that causes muscle damage/weakness)
- Dystrophia myotonica (rare condition that causes muscle damage/weakness)
- Muscle - Other diseases of / type not known
- Myasthenia gravis (rare condition that causes muscle damage/weakness)
- Polymyositis (inflammatory disease which causes muscle weakness)
Muscular dystrophy
- Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (disorder of muscle weakness)
- Muscular dystrophy - Becker type
- Muscular dystrophy - Duchenne
- Muscular dystrophy - limb girdle
- Muscular dystrophy - Other / type not known
Infections
- Creutzfeldt - Jacob disease (CJD) (Rare condition that affects the brain)
- Infections - Other
- Poliomyelitis and post polio syndrome (non-contagious condition that can affect polio survivors)
- Prion diseases - Other / type not known
Other neurological disorders
Neurological disorders - Other / type not known
How to claim PIP payments
You qualify for the support if you meet the following criteria:
- You are aged 16 or over
- You have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- You have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around
- You expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started
- You are under State Pension age (currently 66) if you have not claimed PIP before
The Personal Independence Payment new claims helpline can be reached for support Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm:
Telephone: 0800 917 2222
Textphone: 0800 917 7777
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 917 2222
You'll then be sent a form to fill in, after which you'll be invited for an assessment or your health or social care worker will be asked for information.
After this you'll be sent a letter telling you if your claim has been successful.
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You can read Citizens Advice’s .
If you apply for PIP and are unsuccessful you can appeal a decision.