Severe reductions to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) will pose a challenge for new applicants to qualify and for existing beneficiaries to retain their full benefits. Starting next year, claimants will need to accumulate at least four points in one activity during their assessment for the daily living component of PIP, which is currently valued at up to £110 per week.
If they fail to score four points in any of the 10 assessed activities, they will be ineligible for the daily living portion of PIP. This could affect individuals who require assistance with basic tasks such as bathing, using the toilet, and dressing, reports Birmingham Live.
The 10 daily living activities are listed below, along with the reasons that would yield less than four points under the current system. These would be reasons that would disqualify someone, as a minimum of four points in one activity is required to qualify.
For instance, scoring three points in every activity wouldn’t suffice to secure the daily living part of PIP – despite the fact that this would present numerous difficulties in a person’s everyday life.
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
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