DLA to PIP at 16: What You Need to Know

📝 1. What is PIP?

PIP stands for Personal Independence Payment. It is the benefit that replaces DLA when a young person turns 16.

PIP is money to help with the extra costs of living with a disability or long-term health condition. It is:

• Tax-free — you do not pay tax on it
• Not means-tested — it does not matter how much money you have or earn
• Not affected by work or education — your child can study or work and still get PIP
• Paid every 4 weeks into a bank account

✉ 2. The letters from DWP

The DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) will write to you three times before your child needs to do anything. You do not need to contact them first.

What is an appointee?

An appointee is someone who manages benefits on behalf of another person. If your child cannot manage their own benefit claims because of their disability, you can apply to be their appointee.

Important: if you were your child’s DLA appointee, this does not automatically carry over to PIP. You must apply again for PIP. Contact the Disability Service Centre to do this.

Two exceptions

Two groups are not invited to claim PIP at 16:

• Terminally ill young people — they stay on DLA under special rules
• Young people in hospital on their 16th birthday — the letter is sent when they leave hospital

📞 3. How to apply for PIP

When you get the invitation letter, the first step is to phone the PIP claim line. This starts the claim.

A parent or carer can phone on behalf of the young person, but the young person should be present during the call.

What they will ask on the phone

• Contact details and date of birth
• National Insurance number (if your child has one)
• Bank or building society account details
• Doctor or health worker contact details
• Details of any hospital or care home stays

You can also start a claim by post. Write to: Freepost DWP PIP 1 (no stamp needed).

📄 4. The PIP form — “How your disability affects you”

After the phone call, the DWP will post a form called “How your disability affects you” (also called the PIP2 form). This arrives within 2 weeks.

You must send it back within 1 month. If you need more time, phone the PIP enquiry line and ask — they can give you extra time.

What the form asks about

The form covers 12 activities in two groups:

Daily Living (10 activities)

1. Preparing food
2. Eating and drinking
3. Managing medicines or treatment
4. Washing and bathing
5. Going to the toilet
6. Getting dressed
7. Talking to people (communicating)
8. Reading and understanding signs and words
9. Mixing with other people
10. Making decisions about money

Mobility (2 activities)

11. Planning and following journeys
12. Moving around (walking)

What evidence to send with the form

Send copies (not originals) of anything that shows how your child’s condition affects their daily life. Good evidence includes:

• EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan)
• Letters from doctors, consultants, or specialists
• Reports from therapists (occupational therapy, speech and language, physiotherapy)
• Letters from school or college SENCO
• Prescription lists
• Care plans
• Social worker reports
• Hospital letters

£ 5. What happens to your money during the transition

This is one of the biggest worries for parents. Here is what happens:

After the PIP decision

If PIP is awarded

DLA continues for 28 more days after the decision, then PIP takes over. No gap in money.

If PIP is refused

DLA continues for 28 more days after the decision, then stops. You can challenge the decision (see Section 9).

If PIP is awarded at a lower rate than DLA

DLA continues for 28 more days, then PIP starts at the new rate. There is no automatic protection against getting less money. You can challenge this.

Carer’s Allowance

If you get Carer’s Allowance for looking after your child, this depends on your child getting a qualifying benefit:

• DLA middle or higher rate care, or
• PIP daily living component (standard or enhanced)

If your child is not awarded PIP daily living, your Carer’s Allowance will also stop. If PIP is later awarded (after a challenge), your Carer’s Allowance can be backdated — but you must claim it within 3 months of the PIP decision.

Motability

If your child has a Motability car, they need PIP enhanced rate mobility to keep it. During the PIP assessment, the car continues as normal. If PIP enhanced mobility is not awarded:

• You have 8 weeks to return the car
• If you joined Motability before 2013, you get a £2,000 transition payment
• If you joined in 2014 or later, you get a £250 return-to-dealer payment

👥 6. The PIP assessment

After the DWP gets your form, a health professional will assess how your child’s condition affects their daily life. This is not a doctor from the NHS — it is someone from a company that works for the DWP (such as Maximus, Capita, Ingeus, or Serco).

The assessor is a trained health professional (nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or doctor).

Types of assessment

• Paper-based — they decide from the written evidence alone (no meeting needed). This happens when the evidence is very clear.
• Phone call — the assessor phones you at a set time
• Video call — similar to a phone call but on video
• Face-to-face — you go to an assessment centre. Usually lasts about 1 hour

Can someone go with my child?

Yes. Anyone aged 16 or over can go with them. This can be a parent, carer, friend, support worker, or advocate. The person with them can:

• Speak and add information
• Take notes on what is said
• Give comfort and support
• Remind your child about things they might forget

Can I request a home visit?

Yes, if your child cannot travel to the assessment centre. You can request a home visit if:

• The centre is more than 90 minutes away by public transport
• Your child’s GP normally visits them at home
• Your child cannot leave the house because of their condition (physical or mental health)

Phone the assessment provider (number on the appointment letter) to request this. They may ask for a GP letter.

Reasonable adjustments

Under the Equality Act 2010, the assessment provider must make reasonable adjustments. You can ask for:

• A quiet, low-stimulation room
• A male or female assessor
• Scheduled breaks during the assessment
• A specific time (for example, avoiding early mornings)
• An interpreter or signer

Can I record the assessment?

Yes. You can use your own phone to record the audio. Tell the assessor at the start that you are recording. Video recording is not allowed — audio only. Recordings can help you spot mistakes in the assessor’s report later.

The “reliably” test

The assessor looks at whether your child can do each activity reliably. This means all four of these:

• Safely — without danger to themselves or others
• To a good standard — completing the task properly
• Repeatedly — as often as needed throughout the day
• In a reasonable time — not taking much longer than usual

If your child cannot do an activity in all four of these ways, they count as unable to do it.

Good days and bad days — the 50% rule

If your child’s condition varies from day to day, the assessor uses the 50% rule. A difficulty counts if it happens on more than half the days in a year. In simple terms: if it happens 4 or more days per week, it counts.

Common mistakes at the assessment

🎯 7. How points and rates work

PIP uses a points system. Each of the 12 activities has a list of descriptions (called “descriptors”). Each descriptor has a number of points. The highest descriptor that applies for each activity is counted.

The points across all activities in each group (Daily Living and Mobility) are added up.

You can get Daily Living, Mobility, or both.

PIP payment rates

These are weekly amounts. PIP is paid every 4 weeks.

Key descriptors for autism, learning disabilities, and SEN

These are the activities where young people with SEN often score the most points:

💬 8. Getting the decision

After the assessment, the assessor sends a report to the DWP. The DWP (not the assessor) makes the final decision.

The whole process — from first phone call to decision — takes about 14 to 16 weeks on average.

You will usually get a text message saying “We have made a decision”, followed by a decision letter within 7–10 days.

The letter tells you:

• Whether PIP is awarded
• How much you will get (standard or enhanced, for Daily Living and/or Mobility)
• When payments start
• How long the award lasts (usually 9 months to 10 years)

💪 9. If they say no — challenging the decision

If PIP is refused, or you are awarded less than you expected, do not give up. Many decisions are overturned.

Step 1: Mandatory reconsideration

This means you ask the DWP to look at their decision again. You must do this before you can go to a tribunal.

• Time limit: 1 month from the date on your decision letter (up to 13 months if you have a good reason for the delay)
• How: Phone the number on your decision letter, or write a letter, or use the CRMR1 form from GOV.UK. Writing is better than phoning.
• What to say: Explain exactly which activities you disagree with and why you think you should have scored more points. Use the PIP descriptor list. Include any new evidence.

The DWP takes a median of 71 days (about 10 weeks) to respond. If you have not heard back after 6 weeks, phone them.

The success rate is low — but do not be discouraged. This is a required step before going to tribunal, where the odds are much better.

Step 2: Tribunal appeal

If mandatory reconsideration does not work, you can appeal to a tribunal. This is a panel that is completely independent from the DWP.

• Time limit: 1 month from the date on your mandatory reconsideration notice
• How: Apply online at gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision or use form SSCS1 by post
• Cost: Free
• Wait: About 25–40 weeks for a hearing

Who is on the tribunal panel?

• A judge (who leads the panel)
• A doctor
• A disability expert (someone with experience of disability needs)

Hearings usually last 30–60 minutes. You can bring someone with you for support. Submit any new evidence at least 14 days before the hearing.

If you win at tribunal, all the money you were owed is paid back to you as a lump sum, going back to the date of the original decision.

DWP sometimes changes its mind before the hearing

In 23% of new claim appeals and 49% of review appeals, the DWP changed their decision in the claimant’s favour before the hearing even happened. Just the act of appealing can prompt a change.

🆕 10. What PIP unlocks

Getting PIP can help you get other benefits and discounts:

• Blue Badge — for easier parking
• Free or reduced vehicle tax — if your child gets enhanced mobility rate
• Motability car — lease a car using the enhanced mobility payment
• Disabled Persons Railcard — ⅓ off train fares
• Carer’s Allowance — for the person who looks after them (if they get PIP daily living)
• Council Tax discount — varies by local council
• Bus travel discounts
• Disabled Students’ Allowance — if going to university

🙏 11. Where to get free help

You do not need to do this alone. These organisations give free help with PIP claims and appeals:

📚 12. Sources and references

Every fact in this guide comes from official UK government sources, legislation, or established advice organisations. Here is where we got our information:

Last checked: April 2026 • Written with care by the SenHaven team