PIP and Attendance Allowance Rules

[Bizzie]

Hi everyone

I’m over and currently getting a PIP payment with the moderate mobility rate and have a disabled badge. My mobility has worsened dramatically in the past 6 months and I’m considering applying for the higher rate mobility payment.

However I find the rules a bit confusing. You can only apply for Attendance Allowance after the age of 65 and not for PIP. My query is, does anyone know whether if I apply for the PIP increase will I be told I have to go for Attendance Allowance now I’m past 65?

Thanks in advance

[RA22345]

Hi Bizzie. The rules are confusing especially over age range. Do try contacting Citizens Advice for clarification. Best of luck.

[Bizzie in reply to RA22345]

Good idea. I’ll do that. Thank you.

[charisma]

Hi Bizzie

If you were awarded PIP before your 65th birthday, as I was in 2017, you keep it after reaching age 65, (not sure if rules have changed again since then) and your PIP is not means tested.

Attendance allowance would affect other non SP benefits; not sure if it affects SP. But you might not be eligible for both PIP and the other allowance.

Best check it out with CAB/welfare benefits team.

I received a letter the other day to inform me that my PIP is now ongoing to 2027 due to having SP and the decision by Gov to no longer review until ten years from award. Of course, if any changes occur, it would be reviewed to consider them eg getting worse.

Hope you find the advice you need.

[Hidden]

It goes on state retirement age. If you are getting your pension you cannot apply to have your PIP mobility increased. If you are not pension age yet, you can.

[fergus22]

i was recently in a very similar situation and worried about disrupting my PIP payments. i decided to try and get some clarification from Citizens Advice. After nearly 45 minutes in a queue i was cut off so decided to ring the PIP line instead. They couldn't have been more helpful. So, briefly, i was told that you need to have been experiencing the difficulties you are now claiming for at the time you reached State Pension age and be able to prove it. i was trying to get the mobility component as my Rheumatoid Arthritis has worsened but i was not in such a bad way when i turned 65 so i could not make an additional claim now. I hope this helps as i know the Attendance Allowance is not as high as PIP. Good luck!

[Hidden]

Hi, I have found the pip awards to be unfair. When I applied I was under 65 & was awarded the standard rate for both mobility & care. I thought that was strange considering that I had been receiving the high rate of mobility on DLA. A friend of mine who is a year older got the high rate for both. I had been honest about how far I could walk & know that my friend can walk a bit further. I didn’t agree with some of the things that had been written in the report. After about 18 months I was even worse for mobility so I applied again. This time I was awarded the high rate for care but was told that the high rate for mobility is not given when you are over 65. If I had known that I would have applied again before I reached that age. So when I was on DLA and able to go out for a short walk I got far more than I do now when I can’t even walk to the top of the garden which is not a long one. It seems a very unfair situation.