PIP vs DLA - What's the Difference?

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults aged 16-64 in 2013. DLA still exists for children under 16. If you are an adult currently on DLA, you will eventually be moved to PIP. Here are the key differences.

Key Differences

Assessment: DLA was largely self-reported with no assessment. PIP requires a health assessment (usually by phone) by an independent assessor. This is the biggest change and the most common source of anxiety.

Activities: DLA had care and mobility components assessed broadly. PIP has 12 specific activities, each with defined descriptors and point values. This is more structured but also means you need to match specific criteria.

Points system: DLA did not use points. PIP uses a points-based system where you need 8+ points for standard rate and 12+ for enhanced rate in each component.

Reviews: Many DLA awards were indefinite. All PIP awards have a review date, though some are set 10+ years away for stable conditions.

Mobility: DLA higher rate mobility required "virtually unable to walk." PIP enhanced mobility requires "cannot stand and then move more than 20 metres." The PIP threshold is generally considered more restrictive.

Transitioning from DLA to PIP

If you are being moved from DLA to PIP, your DLA payments continue until the PIP decision is made. There should be no gap in payments. If the PIP award is lower than your DLA, the difference can be significant - this is why getting the wording right on the PIP form matters enormously.

Children Turning 16

When a child on DLA turns 16, they will be invited to claim PIP. A parent or guardian can act as appointee and handle the entire process. The DLA continues until the PIP decision is made.

Component Comparison Side by Side

The two benefits sound similar but the underlying tests are quite different. Here is how the components map:

• DLA Care - Low Rate (attention for a significant portion of the day, or someone to prepare a cooked main meal) - roughly equivalent to PIP daily living scoring 4-7 points.
• DLA Care - Middle Rate (frequent attention throughout day OR continual supervision OR significant attention at night) - roughly equivalent to PIP standard daily living (8-11 points).
• DLA Care - High Rate (frequent attention day AND night OR terminal illness) - roughly equivalent to PIP enhanced daily living (12+ points).
• DLA Mobility - Lower Rate (guidance and supervision needed outdoors) - roughly equivalent to PIP standard mobility (8-11 points), often Activity 11.
• DLA Mobility - Higher Rate (virtually unable to walk OR severe sight impairment OR severe behavioural difficulties) - roughly equivalent to PIP enhanced mobility (12+ points).

The transition is not automatic: a Middle Rate Care + Higher Rate Mobility DLA award often becomes Enhanced + Enhanced PIP, but only if the PIP2 form is completed well. Many claimants drop a rate during transition simply because of how they describe themselves.

Why the Mental Health Activities Often Help Transition Claims

DLA undervalued mental health. PIP introduced Activity 9 (Engaging with other people face to face), Activity 10 (Making budgeting decisions) and explicit recognition of mental health impact on Activities 3 (Managing therapy), 4 (Washing and bathing), 6 (Dressing) and 11 (Planning journeys). For claimants moving from DLA to PIP who have depression, anxiety, PTSD, autism or learning disability, the new activities often add 6-12 points that DLA never recognised.

If your DLA was based mainly on physical conditions, list every mental health symptom too when applying for PIP. Even mild depression or generalised anxiety can score points if it affects daily activities reliably.

The 20 Metre Rule - The Biggest Transition Loss

DLA Higher Rate Mobility required being "virtually unable to walk." There was no fixed distance. PIP enhanced mobility requires either:

• Activity 12 descriptor e - cannot stand and move more than 1m, or cannot stand and move more than 20m safely, reliably, repeatedly and in a reasonable time (12 points), OR
• Activity 11 descriptor f - cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person (12 points)

If you previously scored DLA Higher Rate Mobility because you walked "with great difficulty" but more than 50m, you will likely drop to PIP standard rate. To keep enhanced rate, focus on reliability - if you have to stop multiple times, take more than twice as long as a healthy person or could not safely repeat the walk shortly afterwards, your reliable distance is much shorter than the maximum you can manage on a good day.

What to Do If Your DLA Reassessment Came in Lower

1. Request the assessment report (PA4) immediately by calling 0800 121 4433. You usually receive it within 7-14 days.
2. Read the report against your form. Look for direct quotes that misrepresent what you said, descriptor decisions that ignore evidence and "informal observations" that contradict your real abilities.
3. Request a Mandatory Reconsideration within one calendar month of the decision letter. Include a written rebuttal pointing to specific errors and fresh evidence.
4. If MR is unsuccessful, lodge a tribunal appeal within one month of the MR decision. Around two thirds of appeals succeed (Source: HMCTS Tribunal Statistics).
5. Get welfare rights advice from Citizens Advice, a local law centre or a disability charity. DLA-to-PIP transition appeals are one of the most common cases tribunals see.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PIP harder to get than DLA was?

The assessment is different, not necessarily harder. DLA was self-reported with no assessment. PIP requires a functional assessment. Some people score higher on PIP (especially those with mental health conditions, which PIP assesses more thoroughly than DLA did). Others score lower. The key difference is that PIP uses a structured points system while DLA was more subjective.

I lost my DLA when moving to PIP. What can I do?

If you were refused PIP or given a lower award, request a Mandatory Reconsideration immediately. Many people who lost DLA during the PIP transition won at tribunal. The transition was poorly handled and many assessments were inaccurate.

My DLA was indefinite - will my PIP be too?

Not automatically. PIP awards must have a review date. The DWP can set this 1, 2, 3, 5 or 10 years from the award. For stable lifelong conditions, the longest awards are commonly 10 years with a light touch review at the end. Indefinite-style awards (called "ongoing awards with light touch reviews") do exist but you must qualify for them.

Do I have to apply for PIP, or will the DWP just contact me?

The DWP contacts adults on DLA when it is their turn to move to PIP. You do not need to apply yourself. Until you receive the invitation letter, your DLA continues. Once invited, you have 28 days to start the claim - if you do not, your DLA stops.

Does PIP affect my Motability vehicle?

Only if your mobility component changes. You need enhanced mobility (12+ points on Activities 11 or 12) to qualify for Motability. If you had DLA Higher Rate Mobility with a Motability car and your PIP comes in at standard mobility, you will have 8 weeks (Transitional Support Package) before you must return the vehicle.

What about children turning 16 - is the process different?

The process is similar but a parent or guardian can act as appointee. The DLA continues until the PIP decision is made. The 16-year-old will be expected to attend the assessment (with support). If the child has severe mental capacity issues, the appointee can attend in their place.

Are PIP rates higher or lower than DLA rates?

For 2026/27, PIP enhanced daily living (£114.60/week) and enhanced mobility (£80.00/week) are higher than the equivalent DLA Highest Care (£114.60) and Higher Mobility (£80.00) - the rates have been aligned. The risk is not the rate itself but losing a component or dropping from enhanced to standard during transition.