How PIP points work
PIP has two parts. Daily living covers activities 1 to 10, from preparing food to budgeting. Mobility covers activities 11 and 12, planning journeys and moving around. In each part, 8 points gets you the standard rate and 12 points gets you the enhanced rate.
How this is calculated
For each activity the calculator takes the points for the descriptor you picked. It adds up activities 1 to 10 for daily living and 11 to 12 for mobility, then compares each total with the thresholds in the PIP regulations.
| Component | Points | Weekly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Daily living, standard | 8 to 11 | £76.70 |
| Daily living, enhanced | 12 or more | £114.60 |
| Mobility, standard | 8 to 11 | £30.30 |
| Mobility, enhanced | 12 or more | £80.00 |
The descriptor wording here is shortened from Schedule 1 of the PIP regulations so it fits on a phone. The full legal wording is on legislation.gov.uk, linked below.
Worked example
Sam has arthritis in both hands and knees. Sam uses a perching stool and adapted utensils to cook (2 points), needs help to wash below the waist (2 points), needs help to dress the lower body (2 points) and uses a raised toilet seat (2 points). That is 8 daily living points, so the standard rate of £76.70 a week.
Sam can walk about 40 metres with a stick before the pain stops them, which is the 10-point mobility descriptor. That gives the standard mobility rate of £30.30. Together that is £107.00 a week.
Descriptors people often miss
- Aids you already use. A perching stool, a bath board, grab rails, a raised toilet seat or a tin opener for one hand can each score 2 points.
- Prompting. If someone has to remind or encourage you to wash, eat or take medication, that counts even if you can do the task physically.
- Therapy at home. Help with exercises, dialysis or other therapy for set hours each week scores under activity 3.
- Distress about journeys. Anxiety that stops you going out alone can score up to 10 points for mobility, even if you can walk well.
Common questions
How many points do you need for PIP?
You need at least 8 points in a component to get the standard rate and at least 12 points for the enhanced rate. The daily living and mobility components are scored separately, so points from one never count towards the other.
Do I add up every descriptor that applies to me?
No. In each activity only one descriptor counts, the one with the highest points that applies to you. You then add the scores from each activity in that component.
What does “on most days” mean for PIP?
A descriptor applies if it fits you on more than 50% of days over a 12-month period, looking back three months and forward nine. If no single descriptor fits on more than half the days but several do between them, the one that fits on the most days counts.
Can I do something “reliably”?
You can only be treated as able to do an activity if you can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as you reasonably need to, and in a reasonable time (no more than twice as long as someone without your condition). If you cannot meet all four, choose the descriptor that describes the help you need.
Why are my points different from my decision letter?
The assessor may have picked a different descriptor for some activities. Compare the letter activity by activity. If you think an activity was scored too low, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date on the letter. Use our PIP deadlines calculator to find the exact date.