New figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that nearly 1.9 million people have been receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for five years or longer. As of the end of April 2026, there were just over 4 million PIP claimants in England and Wales, with 1,854,768 of them having been on the benefit for at least five years—approximately 46 per cent of all claimants.
What is PIP?
PIP is a non-means-tested benefit for people aged 16 and over who have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability that causes difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around. Eligibility is not affected by savings or income. The DWP records a claimant's main disabling condition for statistical purposes, though individuals may have multiple health conditions.
Breakdown by condition
The largest group of long-term PIP claimants—those on the benefit for five years or more—were recorded under psychiatric disorders, totaling 638,476. This was followed by musculoskeletal disease (general) with 407,939, neurological disease with 278,566, and musculoskeletal disease (regional) with 225,587. Other conditions included respiratory disease (73,548), cardiovascular disease (44,393), visual disease (41,245), malignant disease (33,319), endocrine disease (23,995), hearing disorders (22,811), gastrointestinal disease (14,022), skin disease (12,348), genitourinary disease (10,704), autoimmune disease (10,668), diseases of the liver, gallbladder and biliary tract (4,854), haematological disease (3,965), infectious disease (3,906), metabolic disease (2,544), multisystem and extremes of age (827), diseases of the immune system (584), and unknown or missing (463).
It is important to note that these figures do not mean people are automatically entitled to PIP because they have one of these conditions. Eligibility is based on how a condition affects daily living or mobility needs, not the diagnosis itself.
PIP payment rates
PIP consists of two components: daily living and mobility. The standard rate for daily living is £73.90 per week, and the enhanced rate is £110.40. For mobility, the standard rate is £29.20 per week, and the enhanced rate is £77.05.
Who can claim PIP?
To claim PIP, you must be aged 16 or over, have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, have difficulty with certain everyday tasks or getting around, and expect those difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started. You usually need to be under State Pension age to make a new claim. People living in Scotland can no longer apply for PIP and should instead apply for Adult Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland.
Types of PIP awards
Some claimants receive a limited term award for a fixed period of up to two years, which the DWP says will not be reviewed. These are given when the claimant's health condition may reasonably be expected to improve. Others receive ongoing awards with a 'light touch' review, typically for claimants with very stable needs unlikely to change, high-level needs that will stay the same or worsen, a planned award review date at State Pension age, or a special rules end-of-life claim due at State Pension age.
How to claim PIP
New claims can be made by contacting the DWP. Before calling, you will need your contact details, date of birth, National Insurance number, bank or building society account number and sort code, your doctor or health worker's name, address and telephone number, and dates and addresses for any time spent abroad, in a care home, or hospital. Full application details are available on the GOV.UK website.
