PIP and medical conditions
There's no official list of conditions that qualify for PIP. PIP is based on how your condition affects you: how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around, whether you can do them safely, and how long they take you. Any long-term physical or mental health condition or disability can count if it affects you enough.
Source: gov.uk: Personal Independence Payment. Checked 11 October 2026.
What DWP looks at
DWP scores 12 activities: 10 for daily living and 2 for mobility, as the regulations set them out. gov.uk describes 3 mobility activities because it splits planning a route from following it, which the regulations score as one activity.
- Preparing food
- Taking nutrition
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
- Washing and bathing
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence
- Dressing and undressing
- Communicating verbally
- Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
- Engaging with other people face to face
- Making budgeting decisions
- Planning and following journeys
- Moving around
Each has descriptors worth points, and the totals decide the award. The PIP points calculator has every descriptor word for word.
Mental health conditions
The mobility part can be awarded for difficulty getting around caused by a cognitive or mental health condition, such as anxiety, as well as a physical one. Some descriptors name psychological distress directly: 9d (engaging with other people) and 11b and 11e (planning and following journeys).
Source: gov.uk: Personal Independence Payment. Checked 11 October 2026.
Conditions that come and go
For each activity, the descriptor that counts is the one that applies on more than half the days, looking at a 12-month period: the 3 months up to the date DWP assesses your claim from, and the 9 months after it. If two or more apply on more than half the days, the higher scoring one counts.
You only count as able to do an activity if you can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as you need to, and in no more than twice the time someone without your condition would take.
Sources: PIP Regulations 2013, regulation 7; PIP Regulations 2013, regulation 4. Checked 11 October 2026.
How long the condition has to last
You need a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and to expect the difficulties to last at least 12 months from when they started.
Source: gov.uk: PIP eligibility. Checked 11 October 2026.
Who else can claim is on PIP eligibility, and how many claims get an award on PIP award rates.
Questions people ask
Is there a list of medical conditions for PIP?
No. gov.uk publishes no list of qualifying conditions. PIP is based on how your condition affects you: how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around, whether you can do them safely, and how long they take you.
Can you get PIP for mental health?
Yes. PIP covers a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. The mobility part can be awarded for difficulty getting around caused by a cognitive or mental health condition, such as anxiety, as well as a physical one. The rates are the same whatever the condition.
What if my condition varies from day to day?
For each activity, the descriptor that counts is the one that applies on more than half the days, looking at a 12-month period: the 3 months up to the date DWP assesses your claim from, and the 9 months after it. If two or more apply on more than half the days, the higher scoring one counts.
Which conditions get PIP most often?
DWP publishes award rates by main disabling condition through Stat-Xplore, its statistics tool, not in its quarterly tables. The overall award rate is on this site's PIP award rates page.
We are not the DWP and can't see your claim. For help with a claim, Citizens Advice and Scope give free advice.