PIP Awards and Payment Rates 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What happens to a claimant's PIP when they reach State Pension age?
- Their PIP award is automatically converted to Attendance Allowance
- Their existing PIP award continues but they cannot make a new PIP claim (Correct answer)
- Their PIP stops and they must reapply under pension-age rules
- Nothing changes; they can continue to claim and renew PIP indefinitely
Correct answer: Their existing PIP award continues but they cannot make a new PIP claim
Existing PIP awards continue after State Pension age, but new claimants above State Pension age must claim Attendance Allowance instead.
Question 2: A claimant is terminally ill and is not expected to live more than 12 months. Which special rule affects their PIP payment?
- They receive an automatic uplift of 50% on all components
- They are automatically awarded the enhanced rate of both components
- They are automatically awarded the enhanced rate of the Daily Living component only (Correct answer)
- They skip the assessment and receive payment within 4 weeks of claiming
Correct answer: They are automatically awarded the enhanced rate of the Daily Living component only
Under Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI), terminally ill claimants are automatically awarded the enhanced Daily Living component; Mobility is still assessed.
Question 3: Which of the following will NOT affect PIP award rates or eligibility?
- A significant improvement in the claimant's condition
- The claimant starting full-time employment (Correct answer)
- The claimant moving into a care home funded by the local authority
- The claimant's condition worsening substantially
Correct answer: The claimant starting full-time employment
PIP is not affected by employment status; starting or stopping work does not change the rate of award.
Question 4: A claimant is overpaid PIP due to failing to report a change of circumstances. What can the DWP do?
- Nothing; DWP overpayments cannot legally be recovered
- Recover the overpayment by deducting from future PIP or other benefit payments (Correct answer)
- Only recover overpayments through a court order
- Write off the debt automatically after 12 months
Correct answer: Recover the overpayment by deducting from future PIP or other benefit payments
The DWP has the legal right to recover PIP overpayments, typically through deductions from ongoing benefit payments.
Question 5: A claimant who scores 8 points on daily living activities AND 12 points on mobility activities would receive which combination of PIP components?
- Standard Daily Living and Standard Mobility
- Standard Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility (Correct answer)
- Enhanced Daily Living and Standard Mobility
- Enhanced Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility
Correct answer: Standard Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility
8 points on daily living gives standard Daily Living; 12 or more points on mobility gives enhanced Mobility.
Question 6: A claimant's PIP award is due to expire. What should they expect from the DWP before the end date?
- Automatic renewal with no action required from the claimant
- A review form (AR1) sent before the end date asking them to re-establish their needs (Correct answer)
- A letter telling them to make a brand new PIP claim
- Nothing; they must contact the DWP themselves to trigger a review
Correct answer: A review form (AR1) sent before the end date asking them to re-establish their needs
The DWP sends a review form (PIP2/AR1) before the award end date so the claimant can demonstrate their continuing needs.
Question 7: Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between PIP and Council Tax Reduction?
- Receiving PIP automatically reduces council tax to zero
- PIP has no connection to council tax reduction
- Receiving PIP may increase a claimant's entitlement to Council Tax Reduction but does not guarantee it (Correct answer)
- Receiving the enhanced rate of PIP provides a full council tax exemption
Correct answer: Receiving PIP may increase a claimant's entitlement to Council Tax Reduction but does not guarantee it
PIP can be a passport to higher Council Tax Reduction in some local schemes, but the reduction is not automatic or universal.
PIP Awards and Payment Rates 5
What happens to a claimant's PIP when they reach State Pension age?