PIP for Dementia – Can You Claim? Guide 2026

Dementia has one of the highest PIP success rates of any condition – around 94%. This reflects the severe impact dementia has on virtually every daily activity. Whether you have Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, or Lewy body dementia, PIP can provide essential financial support.

Which Activities Does Dementia Affect?

Preparing Food (Activity 1) – forgetting recipes, leaving the cooker on, forgetting you've already eaten, inability to plan a meal, safety risks from burns and cuts due to confusion. Most people with dementia need supervision or help with cooking.

Managing Therapy (Activity 3) – forgetting medication entirely, taking doses twice, inability to manage dosette boxes without help, missing medical appointments, not understanding treatment instructions.

Communicating (Activity 7) – word-finding difficulties, losing track of conversations, repeating yourself, inability to understand complex information, difficulty using the telephone.

Reading and Understanding (Activity 8) – inability to read and understand letters, bills, or instructions. Difficulty following written signs when travelling.

Making Budgeting Decisions (Activity 10) – inability to manage money, forgetting to pay bills, vulnerability to financial scams and exploitation, inability to understand bank statements. This often scores the maximum 6 points.

Planning Journeys (Activity 11) – getting lost in familiar places, inability to plan routes, forgetting where you're going, wandering. This is often a high-scoring activity and can qualify for enhanced mobility.

Engaging with People (Activity 9) – social withdrawal, inability to follow group conversations, personality changes, agitation and confusion in social settings.

Who Should Complete the Form?

In many cases, the person with dementia will need a carer, family member, or professional to complete the PIP form on their behalf. This is perfectly acceptable and often results in a more accurate description of difficulties, because the person with dementia may not recognise the extent of their own limitations. Make sure the form is completed by or with someone who sees the person's daily difficulties firsthand.

Early-Stage Dementia

Don't wait until dementia is "severe" to apply. Even mild cognitive impairment and early-stage dementia can affect food preparation (safety), medication management, finances, and journey planning. Apply as soon as these difficulties emerge.

Evidence That Helps

• Memory clinic or neurologist reports including cognitive test scores (MMSE, ACE-III)
• GP letter confirming diagnosis and describing functional impact
• Occupational therapy assessment
• Social services care assessment
• Carer's statement describing daily support provided – this is often the most important evidence

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone else attend the assessment with the person?

Yes, and they absolutely should. A carer or family member can (and should) attend to provide accurate information about daily difficulties. The person with dementia may present well in a short assessment but be unable to function independently day-to-day.

My relative has dementia but won't admit they have difficulties.

This is very common – lack of insight (anosognosia) is a symptom of dementia. The form and assessment should reflect what actually happens, not what the person believes happens. A carer's account is essential.