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Britons with hidden health conditions, such as depression, could be missing out on an additional £628 a month in Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The support comes as the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) submitted a list of non-visible disabilities to the Government, after investigating the difficulty these can cause a person on a day-to-day basis.
PIP is a benefit distributed by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to help people who need extra help with daily tasks or getting around due to long-term illness, disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions.
People can apply for PIP if they’re working, have savings, or are already receiving other benefits, however, the amount the person receives depends on the type of condition they have and how much the DWP thinks it impacts their ability to do things.
A wide variety of conditions can deem a person eligible to claim PIP, however, many who may qualify aren’t claiming it simply because they’re unaware they’re able to. And this is most apparent with those who have non-visible conditions, such as some psychiatric disorders.
According to recent Government statistics, those with a psychiatric disorder make up the largest proportion of claimants (37 percent). Those with musculoskeletal, neurological, and respiratory diseases make up the rest of the top five conditions people most commonly claim PIP for.
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Psychiatric conditions can include depressive and mood disorders, anxiety, stress, OCD and cognitive disorders.
Speaking on hidden health conditions, the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) provided Government guidance stating: “Disabilities occur in many different forms.
“Some people will experience a disability that is outwardly visible to others, whilst others will experience a disability that has no, or little, outward visible signs. Many people will experience a combination of these.”
“There is a wide range of disabilities that are not necessarily ‘visible’ to other people. As you look around there may be equally as many, if not more, disabled people you cannot see. For example, they may have autism, a disabling mental health condition, or be living with significant chronic pain.
“They have a non-visible disability. Having a non-visible disability can be just as life-affecting for a person as a visible one.”
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How to claim PIP
To qualify for PIP, all of the following must apply to the claimant:
- They’re 16 or over
- They have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- They have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around
- They expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started
If this applies, the easiest way to claim is to phone the PIP helpline. Claimants must then fill in a form, after which they’ll then undergo an assessment.
