PIP for Learning Disability

In January 2024, there were 178,776 PIP claimants with a learning disability listed by the DWP as their main disabling condition, making it one of the top 10 most common conditions for which PIP is awarded. If a learning disability affects your ability to carry out daily living activities, such as cooking, washing, dressing, socializing, or getting around, you should definitely consider making a claim.

Success Rates and Award Rates for Learning Disability

• Success Rate: 90% of PIP claims for learning disabilities are successful, which is significantly higher than the overall average of 51%.

• Award Rates:

  • 79% of claimants with a learning disability get the enhanced rate for both the daily living and mobility components.

• Daily Living Awards:

  • Enhanced Rate: 96%

  • Standard Rate: 4%

  • No Award: 1%

• Mobility Awards:

  • Enhanced Rate: 79%

  • Standard Rate: 18%

  • No Award: 2%

Virtually all claimants with a learning disability who receive an award get the Daily Living component, compared to 79% who get the Mobility component.

PIP Payment Rates (April 2024)

• Daily Living Component:

  • Standard Rate: £72.65

  • Enhanced Rate: £108.55

• Mobility Component:

  • Standard Rate: £28.70

  • Enhanced Rate: £75.75

Receiving the enhanced rate for both components means you could receive an additional £184.30 per week. PIP is paid on top of most other benefits and may increase your entitlement to additional support. The enhanced mobility rate also grants access to the Motability scheme.

How to Qualify for PIP

To qualify for PIP, you must be at least 16 years old and below state pension age. The best way to determine if you’re eligible is to assess how your learning disability impacts your daily living and mobility. Points are awarded based on the difficulty you experience with these activities, and a sufficient score can lead to an award of PIP.

Daily Living and Mobility Activities

There are 10 daily living activities and 2 mobility activities used to assess eligibility:

Daily Living Activities:

• Preparing food

• Taking nutrition

• Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition

• Washing and bathing

• Managing toilet needs or incontinence

• Dressing and undressing

• Communicating verbally

• Reading and understanding signs, symbols, and words

• Engaging with other people face-to-face

• Making budgeting decisions

Mobility Activities:

• Planning and following journeys

• Moving around

For each activity, consider whether you can perform it:

• To a reasonable standard

• Safely

• Repeatedly

• In no more than twice the time it would take someone without a health condition

How a Learning Disability May Affect Your Daily Life

A learning disability can make it difficult to complete basic daily activities. Here are some examples of how a learning disability might impact your daily life:

• Cooking: Due to difficulties with reading, you might need symbol-supported instructions or aids like an auto chopper to help you prepare food.

• Eating: You may need supervision to avoid overfilling your mouth and choking, or prompting to eat safely and on time.

• Medication: You might resist taking medication and need prompts or encouragement to follow your doctor’s instructions.

• Washing: Your learning disability may make it difficult to understand the importance of washing, and you may need someone to prompt you or ensure that you are fully clean.

• Toilet Needs: You may require picture cards to help you manage your toilet needs, like washing your hands after use.

• Dressing: You might need help with the sequence of dressing or prompting to follow the correct steps.

• Communication: You might have difficulty understanding others without a familiar person to structure sentences or may use signs, gestures, or Makaton instead of words.

• Reading and Understanding: Due to concentration or processing issues, you may need to read information multiple times to understand it, and it may take you longer than someone without a learning disability.

• Social Engagement: You may need prompting to engage appropriately with others due to a lack of awareness of social boundaries.

• Money Management: You might struggle to understand your finances and need support to track income and expenses.

• Journey Planning: You may miss stops or turns when using public transport, or it may be unsafe for you to travel alone due to social or emotional vulnerabilities.

These are just a few examples of how a learning disability can affect your daily living and mobility. If you experience any of these issues, they could influence your PIP claim.

How PIP Ready Can Help You

If you have a learning disability and are considering applying for PIP, PIP Ready is here to assist you. Our expert team can guide you through the process, ensuring that your claim is complete and accurate, giving you the best chance of success.