Can I work and claim PIP?

Working and PIP: the basics

PIP helps with the extra costs of a long-term condition or disability. It is not an out-of-work benefit. You can get it if you work full time, part time or not at all. Your wages and savings are not counted.

What matters is how your condition affects 12 everyday activities, such as preparing food, washing, managing money and moving around.

Who can claim

You can claim PIP if you:

• are 16 or over and usually under State Pension age
• have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
• have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around
• expect the difficulty to last at least 12 months from when it started

What you need

Before you call, have ready:

• your contact details and date of birth
• your National Insurance number
• your bank or building society details
• your doctor's or health worker's name and address
• dates of any stays in a care home, hospital or hospice
• dates of any time abroad for more than 4 weeks

How to claim, step by step

1. Call the PIP new claims line on 0800 917 2222, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 917 2222. In some postcodes you can start your claim online.
2. Fill in the "How your disability affects you" form. Return it within 1 month.
3. Go to an assessment if asked. It can be at a centre, at home, by phone or by video, and usually lasts about an hour.
4. Get your decision letter. It tells you what you get and when your claim will be reviewed.

Time and cost

Claiming is free. In July 2026 a new claim took about 18 weeks from registering the claim to a decision.

What you get (2026/27)

After you start getting PIP

• Tell the PIP enquiry line (0800 121 4433) if you need more or less help with daily tasks or getting around.
• Also report a stay in hospital or a care home, or a trip abroad for more than 4 weeks.

Help to stay in work

Access to Work can pay for practical support, such as special equipment, a job coach or extra travel costs if you cannot use public transport. An Access to Work grant does not affect your other benefits, and you do not pay it back. Your employer must still make reasonable adjustments.

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

• Scotland: apply for Adult Disability Payment instead. Whether you work, and your income and savings, do not affect it.
• Northern Ireland: call the PIP Centre on 0800 587 0932. nidirect confirms PIP is not affected by income or savings and you can get it whether you are in work or not.

Related guides

• Who can get PIP?
• What is PIP (Personal Independence Payment)?
• What is Access to Work?
• Can I get Universal Credit and PIP at the same time?
• What happens at a PIP review?

Where this comes from

• Personal Independence Payment (GOV.UK), eligibility, how to claim and after you've applied
• PIP: report a change of circumstances
• DWP PIP statistics to July 2026
• DWP benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027
• Access to Work
• Adult Disability Payment (mygov.scot)
• PIP in Northern Ireland (nidirect)