PIP Eligibility When Reaching Pension Age

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Are You Entitled to PIP and Mobility Payments Once You Reach Pension Age?

As people approach pension age, many wonder if they are still eligible for benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and mobility payments, which provide crucial financial support for individuals with long-term health conditions or disabilities. These benefits are designed to help with the extra costs associated with disability, but there are specific rules about eligibility for those who have reached the State Pension age.

What is PIP?

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit in the UK that helps people aged 16 to the State Pension age (currently 66, but subject to change) with the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability. PIP is made up of two parts:

1. Daily Living Component: For help with everyday tasks such as dressing, washing, and preparing meals.
2. Mobility Component: For help with getting around, either due to physical limitations or cognitive difficulties.

Eligibility for PIP is based on how a person’s condition affects their ability to perform everyday activities, not the condition itself. The payment is available regardless of income or employment status.

Can You Apply for PIP After Reaching Pension Age?

Once you reach State Pension age, you are no longer eligible to make a new claim for PIP. However, if you were already receiving PIP before reaching pension age, you can continue to receive it as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. The payments won’t stop just because you have reached retirement age.

If you develop a disability or long-term condition after reaching State Pension age, you cannot apply for PIP. Instead, you would need to apply for Attendance Allowance, which is designed to help pensioners who require assistance with personal care due to illness or disability.

What Happens to Mobility Payments?

The mobility component of PIP, which assists people with the cost of getting around, becomes a bit more complex when it comes to those who reach pension age:

• If you are already receiving the mobility component of PIP when you reach State Pension age, you can continue to receive this benefit.
• If you did not claim the mobility component before reaching pension age, you cannot make a new claim for it after you reach that age. This means that if your mobility issues arise after you’ve passed the State Pension threshold, you will not be able to claim the mobility component of PIP.

Attendance Allowance: The Alternative to PIP for Pensioners

For individuals who have not claimed PIP before reaching pension age but still need financial support due to illness or disability, Attendance Allowance is available. Unlike PIP, Attendance Allowance does not have a mobility component. However, it does help with the costs of personal care for those who need assistance with daily tasks due to disability.

Attendance Allowance is available to individuals over State Pension age who have a disability or health condition that requires care or supervision. It has two rates:

• Lower rate: For those who need frequent help or constant supervision during the day or night.
• Higher rate: For those who need help or supervision both day and night, or are terminally ill.

Although Attendance Allowance provides financial support, it is generally considered less comprehensive than PIP because it does not include assistance with mobility.

What If You Are Already Receiving PIP Before State Pension Age?

If you already receive PIP when you reach State Pension age, your payments will not stop, and you will continue to receive both the daily living and mobility components (if applicable) as long as you remain eligible. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will continue to assess your condition at regular intervals to ensure that you still qualify for the benefit.

However, you cannot move from PIP to Attendance Allowance unless your PIP is stopped, or your circumstances change, such as a worsening condition.

Key Points to Remember:

1. No New Claims for PIP After State Pension Age: You cannot start a new claim for PIP after reaching State Pension age. If you were not already receiving PIP, you would need to apply for Attendance Allowance instead.
2. Continuing PIP Payments: If you are already receiving PIP before reaching pension age, you can continue to receive it after retirement.
3. No New Mobility Claims After Pension Age: If you have not claimed the mobility component of PIP before State Pension age, you will not be able to apply for it later.
4. Attendance Allowance: If you develop a disability or long-term condition after reaching pension age, Attendance Allowance is the main benefit you can claim to help with care needs, but it does not cover mobility.

Final Thoughts

For individuals reaching pension age, understanding the differences between PIP and Attendance Allowance is crucial for ensuring continued financial support. While new claims for PIP are not allowed after reaching State Pension age, those already on the benefit can continue receiving it. For new claims, Attendance Allowance offers some financial assistance, though without the mobility component.

If you’re approaching retirement age and rely on PIP or are unsure of your options, it’s essential to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or seek advice from a benefits advisor to ensure you receive the support you’re entitled to as you navigate this stage of life.

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Further Reading

• Getting PIP after you’ve reached State Pension age – Citizens Advice
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP): What PIP is for – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Thousands of pensioners to benefit from PIP assessment overhaul – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP Payments) | Age UK

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