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A HEALTH AND DISABILITY GREEN PAPER WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE COMING WEEKS TO SET OUT PLANNED REFORMS OF PIP AND OTHER BENEFITS 12:18, 06 Feb 2025Updated 09:39, 07 Feb 2025 More than 3.6

million people in the UK claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help with the extra costs of a disability or long-term physical or mental health condition. The huge rise in the number

of people on the benefit - with around 70,000 applications submitted every month and 33,000 new claims approved - and the soaring expenditure involved has prompted Government plans to

redesign the benefit. The total number of claimants includes almost 85,000 people in Birmingham, more than 22,000 in Coventry and a similar number in Walsall, plus 26,000 in Sandwell, nearly

20,000 recipients in Wolverhampton, over 21,000 in Dudley and 12,000 in Solihull. Many also claim incapacity payments that can be added to Universal Credit and ESA (Employment and Support

Allowance). PIP spending is expected to grow by 63 per cent in the next five years from £21.6 billion in 2023/2024 to £35.3 billion in 2028/2029. After Conservative proposals to cut PIP

payments were thwarted by their defeat in the General Election, Labour is to bring forward its own overhaul of health-related benefits this spring. READ MORE: DWP Minister for Social

Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms explained, in answer to a parliamentary question by Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds (Maidenhead) about the adequacy of PIP at covering

disability costs: "Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution to the extra costs that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition. PIP is a

non-contributory, non-means-tested, additional-cost benefit and can be worth over £9,500 a year, tax free. Individuals can choose how to use the benefit, in the light of their individual

needs and preferences. Article continues below "The benefit can also be paid in addition to any other financial or practical support someone may be entitled to, such as Universal

Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, NHS services, free prescriptions, and help with travel costs to appointments. "It can also act as a passport to additional support such as

premiums and additional amounts paid within certain benefits, Carer’s Allowance for an informal carer or the Blue Badge scheme. The benefits have been consistently uprated in line with

inflation since they were introduced and were, like other benefits, increased by 6.7 per cent from April 8, 2024." PIP, like most other DWP and HMRC benefits, will see a further rise in

April 2025, going up by 1.7 per cent in line with the September inflation figure used for uprating decisions. Sir Stephen says the upcoming reforms will "transform the entire PIP

service" including payments, eligibility and decision-making but, in the meantime, these are the confirmed new amounts available from April 7 this year. People will need a full

four-weekly payment cycle after that date before seeing the increases reflected in their benefits. PIP PAYMENT LEVELS FROM APRIL 2025 PIP awards are based on a weekly payment rate but are

paid out every four weeks. Here are all the eight possible payment amounts you could receive from April 2025 - the list shows the minimum a person can get will rise to £116.80 every four

weeks and the maximum will go up to £749.80 every four weeks. 1. STANDARD DAILY LIVING ONLY Payment rate: increasing from £72.65 to £73.90 Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from

£290.60 to £295.60 Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £3,777.80 to £3,842.80 2. ENHANCED DAILY LIVING ONLY Payment rate: increasing from £108.55 to £110.40 Monthly amount

(every four weeks): increasing from £434.20 to £441.60 Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £5,644.60 to £5,740.80 3. STANDARD MOBILITY ONLY Payment rate: increasing from

£28.70 to £29.20 Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from £114.80 to £116.80 (minimum amount of PIP you can receive) Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £1,492.40 to

£1,518.40 4. ENHANCED MOBILITY ONLY Payment rate: increasing from £75.75 to £77.05 Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from £303 to £308.20 Annual amount (based on 52 weeks):

increasing from £3,939 to £4,006.60 5. STANDARD DAILY LIVING PLUS STANDARD MOBILITY Payment rate: increasing from £101.35 to £103.10 Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from

£405.40 to £412.40 Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £5,270.20 to £5,361.20 6. STANDARD DAILY LIVING PLUS ENHANCED MOBILITY Payment rate: increasing from £148.40 to £150.95

Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from £593.60 to £603.80 Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £7,716.80 to £7,849.40 7. ENHANCED DAILY LIVING PLUS STANDARD

MOBILITY Payment rate: increasing from £137.25 to £139.60 Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from £549 to £558.40 Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £7,137 to

£7,259.20 8. ENHANCED DAILY LIVING PLUS ENHANCED MOBILITY Payment rate: increasing from £184.30 to £187.45 Monthly amount (every four weeks): increasing from £737.20 to £749.80 (maximum

amount of PIP you can receive) Article continues below Annual amount (based on 52 weeks): increasing from £9,583.60 to £9,747.40 Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp. Join our

dedicated community for the latest updates. You can find out more in our Money Saving Newsletter, which is sent out daily with all the updates you need to know on pensions, PIP, Universal

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