Personal Independence payment (pip) - formerly Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a tax-free benefit for children and adults who require additional help with personal care or have mobility difficulties caused by a long-term health problem.

You should consider applying if your child has a long-term condition which affects their everyday activities, even if you do not consider your child to be 'disabled'. PIP is to help meet additional expenses caused by a long-term health problem, such as travel costs and time off work.

This is a short guide on whether to apply. If in doubt, make a claim.

Key points

• A long-term health problem is one that has lasted for three months and is expected to last at least another six. You can prepare an application before the three months is up.
• The health problem has to result in your child needing substantially more care or supervision than other than other children of the same age without the health problem.
• If your child is under 16 you can make a claim on their behalf. Once they are 16 or over they can claim in their own right.
• Your child will not be 'registered disabled' if they received PIP and it will not make it more difficult to get a job when they become an adult. There are different levels of PIP depending on extent of need.

Further information

For more information and to apply see Gov.uk

Further advice can also be obtained from your local Citizens' Advice Bureau.