Social support: changes to PIP law from 6 April 2016
Updated 22 May 2024
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Background
When applying for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) considers your ability to engage with other people face to face.
Change to PIP law
From 6 April 2016 there was a change in how we consider the need for social support, when engaging with other people face to face, as part of the PIP assessment.
If someone needs ‘prompting’, by way of reminding, encouraging or explaining, from a person trained or experienced in assisting people in social situations, we now consider whether this is ‘social support’.
The change also clarifies that social support is an ongoing need to help engage with other people. It does not need to be during or immediately before the activity.
What this means for you
We are looking at PIP claims from people who may be affected by this change. This includes looking again at some claims we decided on or after 6 April 2016, where PIP was awarded because of needing ‘prompting’ to engage with other people face to face. We will now consider whether they needed ‘social support’. This includes some claims where we did not award PIP.
We will not look again at claims if:
- the enhanced rate of the daily living part of PIP has been awarded continuously since 6 April 2016
- a Tribunal has made a decision on your claim since 6 April 2016
- a decision not to award you PIP was made before 6 April 2016
Not everyone will be eligible. If you are, we will write to you and you do not need to contact us. It may take some time for you to get this letter. We are not planning to invite you for an assessment as part of this review, but we may contact you for more information.
If we decide that you should get more PIP, then your award will usually be backdated to 6 April 2016. If you claimed PIP after 6 April 2016, it will usually be backdated to the date you started getting PIP.
The change to how we consider the support that someone needs is a result of an Supreme Court decision.
You can apply for PIP again if you think you may now be eligible. The change to PIP law will apply to all new claims.
It has also been applied to all PIP Reviews since 17 September 2020.
Help with PIP
You can contact a local support organisation or Citizens Advice to get help understanding PIP.