What are PIP disability payments and how could they change?

Changes to a key disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (Pip) are being considered by the government as it tries to cut welfare spending.

Pip is paid to people who have difficulty completing everyday tasks or getting around as a result of a long-term physical or mental health condition.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing pressure from some MPs and charities, who say vulnerable people could lose out if the rules for qualifying are tightened or payments changed.

There are two elements to Pip – a daily living component and a mobility component. Claimants may be eligible for one or both.

Daily living covers areas such as requiring help with preparing food, washing, reading and managing your money. The mobility element includes physically moving around or getting out of your home.

For each, there are two categories of payment – standard and, for those with greater needs, enhanced.

For daily living:

• The standard rate is £72.65 per week
• The enhanced rate is £108.55 per week

For mobility:

• The standard rate is £28.70 per week
• The enhanced rate is £75.75 per week

Pip is usually paid every four weeks and is tax-free.

It does not change depending on your savings or income and does not count as income affecting other benefits, or the benefit cap. You can get Pip if you are working.

The payment is made for a fixed period of time between one and 10 years, after which it is reviewed. A reassessment could come earlier if your circumstances change.

Pip is paid in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There is a similar but separate benefit in Scotland called the Adult Disability Payment.

More than 3.6 million people currently claim Pip.

Overall, about 1.3m people now claim disability benefits primarily for mental health or behavioural conditions such as ADHD.

That is 44% of all working age claimants, according to the independent economic think-tank, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

There is a push by ministers to encourage people into work.

The eligibility criteria for Pip is set to be tightened significantly, which could mean changing the scoring system for those who qualify.

At the moment, applicants are scored on a points based system based on their ability to carry out everyday tasks and on their mobility.

Those who score 8-11 points receive the standard rate of Pip, and those who score 12 points and over are eligible for the enhanced rate.

The government also wants more frequent reassessments of those claiming the benefit. However, those who are deemed to have the highest levels of a permanent condition or disability may no longer face reassessment.

Initially, it was thought the government might not increase Pip payments in line with inflation for a year – but that idea is thought to have been withdrawn after Labour MPs voiced opposition.

When Pip was introduced in 2013, the aim was to save £1.4bn a year by reducing the number of people eligible for payments.

However, initial savings were modest and the number of claimants has risen.

Pip is now the second-largest element of the working-age welfare bill, with spending expected to almost double to £34bn by 2029-30.

Overall, the government currently spends £65bn a year on health and disability-related benefits. This is projected to increase to £100bn by 2029.

Although much of the focus is on reforming Pip, the government may also decide to make changes to other benefits.

Universal Credit is the largest working-age benefit, paid to 7.5 million people who may, or may not, be in work.

At the moment, more than three million Universal Credit recipients have no requirement to find work, a number that has risen sharply.

The government says this is unsustainable and that it wants to help more people into jobs.