Personal Independence Payments and Disability Living Allowances
People wishing to make a claim for a personal independence payment (PIP) should click this link.
People wishing to make a claim for disability living allowance (DLA) for a person aged under sixteen years of age should click this link.
Summary
Both personal independence payments (PIP) and disability living allowance (DLA) are disability-related benefits. Cases with entitlement include some people who may have had payments suspended or interrupted (for e.g. if they are in hospital at a point in time).
Personal independence payments (PIP)
Personal independence payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if individuals have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of their condition. People can get PIP even if they are working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
There are 2 parts to PIP: a daily living part - if you need help with everyday tasks, and a mobility part - if you need help with getting around. Whether individuals get financial assistance with one or both parts and the level of payment depends on how difficult the person find everyday tasks and getting around. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will assess how difficult each applicant find daily living and mobility tasks.
Disability living allowance (DLA) for children
Disability living allowance (DLA) for children (aged 0 to 15) is for children who have difficulties walking or need much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability
Both disability living allowance and personal independence payments are disability-related benefits.
Chronology of significant dates
Disability living allowance (DLA) was introduced on 1st April 1992 and was a benefit for people who became disabled before pension age and who need assistance with personal care or mobility.
As from April 2013, personal independence payments (PIP) have replaced disability living allowance (DLA) for new claimants aged 16 and over - and under pension age. Persons aged over State Pension age can apply for Attendance Allowance. Or previous PIP recipients may make a new PIP claim after reaching pension age if they met PIP eligibility in the year before they reached State Pension age. DLA can still be claimed for children under 16.
From October 2013 onwards, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started to re-assess existing DLA claimants. See the DLA for adults (if you already get DLA) web page for further information.
As from 21 March 2022, the Scottish Government started to replace the PIP and DLA benefits for working age people with Adult Disability Payment (ADP), a new benefit launched in 2022. Datapoints from March 2022 will no longer reflect full totals of PIP and DLA cases for Great Britain because of the introduction of Adult Disability Payment in Scotland. In light of this change, analysis of PIP and DLA data is this report will use England and Wales for comparison purposes, instead of Great Britain.
What PIP is for
Personal independence payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if individuals have both:
- a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
- difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition
People can get PIP even if they are working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.
There are 2 parts to PIP:
- a daily living part - if you need help with everyday tasks
- a mobility part - if you need help with getting around
Whether individuals get one or both parts and the level of payment depends on how difficult the person find everyday tasks and getting around.
You might get the daily living part of PIP if you need help with: preparing food, eating and drinking, managing your medicines or treatments, washing and bathing, using the toilet, dressing and undressing, reading, managing your money, socialising and being around other people, talking, listening and understanding.
You might get the mobility part of PIP if you need help with working out a route and following it, physically moving around, leaving your home. You do not have to have a physical disability to get the mobility part. You might also be eligible if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, like anxiety.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will assess how difficult each applicant find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they’ll look at whether you can do it safely; how long it takes you; how often your condition affects this activity; whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
People nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness) automatically get the daily living part. Getting the mobility part depends on individual need.
PIP amounts (as at February 2025)
| Lower weekly rate | Higher weekly rate | ||
| Daily living part | £72.65 | £108.55 | |
| Mobility part | £28.70 | £75.75 |
Source: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - PIP rates as at February 2025
What DLA for children is for
Disability living allowance (DLA) for children (aged 0 to 15) is for children who have difficulties walking or need much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability. Additional eligibility criteria apply.
DLA rates for children and adults (as at February 2025)
| Component / Level | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
| Care component | £28.70 | £72.65 | £108.55 |
| Mobility component | £28.70 | - | £75.75 |
Source: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - DLA rates for children (as at February 2025) and DLA rates for adults (as at February 2025)
Exemption from the Benefit Cap
Please note that all households with someone (including children under 18) with a current award of disability living allowance or personal independence payment are exempt from the benefit cap. This is in recognition of the extra costs disability can bring.
Accredited Official Statistics
PIP statistics became Accredited Official Statistics in September 2024, following a review of PIP statistics which began in summer 2023. Source: DWP Guidance - PIP statistics: background quality and methodology report, updated 17 December 2024
DLA statistics are Accredited Official Statistics. Source: DWP guidance - Background information note: DWP benefits statistical summary, updated 18 February 2025.
Frequency of data publication
PIP data is released on a monthly basis. DLA data is published on a quarterly basis. Both datasets are some months behind the current date on the DWP data download tool (Stat-Xplore).
More recent data has been released for PIP cases with entitlement, but figures for May 2024 have been analysed in this report to correspond with the latest publication of DLA data (at the time of writing).
Combined number of people claiming personal independence payments (PIP) or disability living allowance (DLA), May 2024
Trends in the numbers
Overall, the combined number of people within England and Wales (E&W) claiming personal independence payments or disability living allowance has increased since mid-2014.
The number of people claiming personal independence payments has continued to increase since it was introduced in April 2013 and in May 2024 accounted for just under 75% of the combined total.
The number of people claiming disability living allowance had been decreasing since the peak numbers recorded for this benefit between February 2010 and February 2013 (depending on the area). DLA cases recorded a low point in May 2023 but have begun to increase one again in subsequent quarters. The recent DLA increases are the result of DLA cases for children rising at a faster pace than the reductions in DLA cases for those claimants of working age and those of pension age and over.
Lancashire-12 and Lancashire-14 areas
As at May 2024, in the Lancashire-12 area, the combined number of all PIP cases with entitlement (80,270) and all DLA cases with entitlement (28,920) totalled 109,190 persons. PIP cases accounted for 73.5% of the combined total. The PIP total includes 66,202 claimants of working age (82.5% of the total) and 14,059 claimants of pension age and over (17.5% of the total). The DLA total includes 14,611 children aged 0 to 15 (50.5% of total), 3,322 working age claimants (11.5% of the total) and 10,989 claimants of pension age and over (38.0% of the total). Totals may not sum owing to disclosure control being applied.
For the Lancashire-14 area, the combined number of all PIP cases with entitlement (107,075) and all DLA cases with entitlement (37,906) totalled 144,981 persons in May 2024. PIP cases accounted for 73.9% of the combined total. The PIP total includes 88,905 claimants of working age (83.0% of the total) and 18,163 claimants of pension age and over (17.0% of the total). The DLA total includes 18,767 children aged 0 to 15 (49.5% of total), 4,846 working age claimants (12.8% of the total) and 14,291 claimants of pension age and over (37.7% of the total). Totals may not sum owing to disclosure control being applied.
Districts
Blackpool (19,444), Blackburn with Darwen (16,347), Preston (13,636), Lancaster (11,798) and Wyre (10,953) had the greatest combined totals in the Lancashire-14 area in May 2024, whilst Ribble Valley (3,139) had the lowest.
Table 1: Combined number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) cases with entitlement and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) cases with entitlement, May 2019, May 2023 and May 2024, and yearly change from May 2023 to May 2024
| Area | Combined number of PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement, May 2019 | Combined number of PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement, May 2023 | Combined number of PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement, May 2024 | Yearly change in combined number of PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement, May 2023 to May 2024 | Yearly % change in combined number of PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement, May 2023 to May 2024 |
| Burnley | 7,317 | 9,501 | 10,530 | 1,029 | 10.8 |
| Chorley | 6,614 | 8,058 | 8,916 | 858 | 10.6 |
| Fylde | 4,852 | 5,883 | 6,539 | 656 | 11.2 |
| Hyndburn | 6,760 | 8,353 | 9,418 | 1,065 | 12.7 |
| Lancaster | 8,705 | 10,656 | 11,798 | 1,142 | 10.7 |
| Pendle | 6,297 | 8,053 | 9,055 | 1,002 | 12.4 |
| Preston | 9,571 | 12,174 | 13,636 | 1,462 | 12.0 |
| Ribble Valley | 2,357 | 2,844 | 3,139 | 295 | 10.4 |
| Rossendale | 4,981 | 5,893 | 6,539 | 646 | 11.0 |
| South Ribble | 6,306 | 7,592 | 8,327 | 735 | 9.7 |
| West Lancashire | 7,952 | 9,415 | 10,340 | 925 | 9.8 |
| Wyre | 8,275 | 10,048 | 10,953 | 905 | 9.0 |
| Lancashire-12 | 79,987 | 98,470 | 109,190 | 10,720 | 10.9 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 12,159 | 14,723 | 16,347 | 1,624 | 11.0 |
| Blackpool | 14,654 | 17,755 | 19,444 | 1,689 | 9.5 |
| Lancashire-14 | 106,800 | 130,948 | 144,981 | 14,033 | 10.7 |
| North West | 541,119 | 660,157 | 729,869 | 69,712 | 10.6 |
| England | 3,111,894 | 3,900,881 | 4,326,117 | 425,236 | 10.9 |
| England and Wales | 3,374,955 | 4,215,984 | 4,664,800 | 448,816 | 10.6 |
Source: PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement downloaded via the Department for Work and Pensions Stat-Xplore data selection tool.
England and Wales
In May 2024, in England and Wales, the combined total of all PIP cases with entitlement (3,392,925) and all DLA cases with entitlement (1,271,875) amounted to 4,664,800 people. PIP cases accounted for 72.7% of the combined total. The PIP total includes 2,854,538 claimants of working age (84.1% of total) and 538,394 claimants of pension age and over (15.9% of total). The DLA total includes children aged 0 to 15 (57.5% of total), working age claimants (12.1% of total) and claimants of pension age and over (30.4% of total). Totals may not sum owing to disclosure control being applied.
Yearly change in the combined number of PIP and DLA cases with entitlement
The combined number of PIP and DLA cases with entitlement within England and Wales rose by 10.6% (+448,816) between May 2023 and May 2024. Within the Lancashire-14 area, the combined number has increased by a marginally greater percentage of 10.7% (+14,033). The Lancashire-12 area has seen the combined number rise by slightly larger percentage of 10.9% (+10,720).
Hyndburn (+12.7%), Pendle (+12.4%), Preston (+12.0%), Fylde (+11.2%), Blackburn with Darwen (+11.0%) and Rossendale (+11.0%) recorded the largest percentage increases in the combined number of PIP and DLA cases over the year in the Lancashire-14 area.
Blackpool (+1,689), Blackburn with Darwen (+1,624), Preston (+1,462), Lancaster (+1,142), Hyndburn (+1,065), Burnley (+1,029) and Pendle (+1,002) recorded the largest yearly increases in the combined number of PIP and DLA cases in the Lancashire-14 area, whilst Ribble Valley (+295) saw the smallest rise.
PIP cases by medical condition
The DWP Stat-Xplore website gives access to the PIP cases with entitlement split by 20 types of medical condition (including one for claimants without any diagnosis code). These are based on the world health organisation's international classification of diseases (ICD) summary codings (10th revision).
In May 2024, of the 107,075 PIP cases with entitlement in the Lancashire 14-area, 35.7% (38,274 cases) were allocated to the mental and behavioural disorders category, followed by 29.0% (31,045) having diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissues and 11.5% (12,357) allocated to diseases of the nervous system. These three condition categories account for 76.2% of the total PIP cases.
Preston with 40.5% (or 4,355 cases) of its total PIP caseload had the largest percentage assigned to the mental and behavioural disorders category in the Lancashire-14 area, followed by Lancaster with 39.0% (3,416 people) and Hyndburn with 38.0% (2,593 people). However, Blackpool had the largest number (5,477 people, 37.2% of total) in the Lancashire-14 area for this category. Blackburn with Darwen with 4,257 people (35.2% of total cases) also had a large number in this category.
DLA cases by main disabling condition
The DWP Stat-Xplore website does not provide a breakdown of DLA cases split down by the world health organisation's ICD medical conditions codings. However, it does provide data broken down by the main disabling condition (57 headings including terminally ill and unknown/transfer from attendance allowance). Where more than one disability is present, only the main disabling condition is recorded.
In May 2024, 23.5% of all entitled DLA cases in the Lancashire-14 area had learning difficulties as the main disabling condition (E&W = 30.0%), followed by 15.2% with arthritis (E&W = 11.9%) and 14.1% with behavioural disorder (E&W = 15.7%). These three main disabling conditions accounted for just over a half (52.85) of all of the 37,906 entitled DLA cases in the Lancashire-14 area in May 2024.
PIP cases with entitlement in May 2024, and yearly changes
PIP cases with entitlement numbered 80,270 in the Lancashire-12 area in May 2024 and 107,075 in the Lancashire-14 area. Blackpool (14,723), Blackburn with Darwen (12,082), Preston (10,754) and Lancaster (8,752) had the largest number of PIP cases in the Lancashire-14 area and Ribble Valley (2,184) had the smallest number.
Table 2: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) cases with entitlement, May 2019, May 2023 and May 2024, and yearly change from May 2023 to May 2024
| Area | PIP cases with entitlement, May 2019 | PIP cases with entitlement, May 2023 | PIP cases with entitlement, May 2024 | Yearly change in PIP cases with entitlement, May 2023 to May 2024 | Yearly % change in PIP cases with entitlement, May 2023 to May 2024 |
| Burnley | 4,297 | 6,669 | 7,615 | 946 | 14.2 |
| Chorley | 3,879 | 5,835 | 6,632 | 797 | 13.7 |
| Fylde | 2,619 | 4,084 | 4,705 | 621 | 15.2 |
| Hyndburn | 3,784 | 5,829 | 6,821 | 992 | 17.0 |
| Lancaster | 5,262 | 7,691 | 8,752 |
1,061 |
13.8 |
| Pendle | 3,540 | 5,509 | 6,371 | 862 | 15.6 |
| Preston | 6,203 | 9,458 | 10,754 | 1,296 | 13.7 |
| Ribble Valley | 1,234 | 1,880 | 2,184 | 304 | 16.2 |
| Rossendale | 2,727 | 4,046 | 4,648 | 602 | 14.9 |
| South Ribble | 3,705 | 5,550 | 6,230 | 680 | 12.3 |
| West Lancashire | 4,453 | 6,783 | 7,600 | 817 | 12.0 |
| Wyre | 4,494 | 7,017 | 7,958 | 941 | 13.4 |
| Lancashire-12 | 46,197 | 70,351 | 80,270 | 9,919 | 14.1 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 7,253 | 10,625 | 12,082 | 1,457 | 13.7 |
| Blackpool | 8,677 | 13,037 | 14,723 | 1,686 | 12.9 |
| Lancashire-14 | 62,127 | 94,013 | 107,075 | 13,062 | 13.9 |
| North West | 310,793 | 476,375 | 538,835 | 62,460 | 13.1 |
| England | 1,750,661 | 2,768,138 | 3,132,855 | 364,717 | 13.2 |
| England and Wales | 1,904,271 | 3,005,094 | 3,392,925 | 387,831 | 12.9 |
Source: PIP cases with entitlement and DLA cases with entitlement downloaded via the Department for Work and Pensions Stat-Xplore data selection tool.
Yearly change
Between May 2023 and May 2024, the number PIP cases with entitlement in England and Wales rose by 12.9% (+387,831 cases). Numbers rose by higher percentages over the year in both the Lancashire-14 area (+13.9%, up 13,062 cases) and the Lancashire-12 area (+14.1%, up 9,919 cases).
Eleven of the Lancashire-14 local authority areas saw yearly percentage increases in the number of PIP cases that were greater than the percentage rise in England and Wales (12.9%), ranging from 13.4% to 17.0%. Hyndburn (+17.0%), Ribble Valley (+16.2%), Pendle (+15.6%) and Fylde (+15.2%) saw the greatest percentage increases between May 2023 and May 2024 in the area. The percentage rise in Blackpool (+12.9%) was the same as that recorded in England and Wales (+12.9%). The percentage increases in West Lancashire (+12.0%) and South Ribble were slightly lower than the England and Wales yearly percentage rise.
Blackpool (+1,686), Blackburn with Darwen (+1,457), Preston (+1,296), Lancaster (+1,061), Hyndburn (+992), Burnley (+946) and Wyre (+941) recorded the greatest yearly increases in PIP cases with entitlement in the Lancashire-14 area, with Ribble Valley (+304) registering the lowest rise.
DLA cases with entitlement in May 2024, yearly change and change from May 2019
All entitled DLA cases within the Lancashire-12 area totalled 28,920 in May 2024 and 37,906 cases in the Lancashire-14 area. Blackpool (4,721), Blackburn with Darwen (4,265), Lancaster (3,046), Wyre (2,995) and Burnley (2,915) had the largest number of entitled DLA cases in the Lancashire-14 area in May 2024 and Ribble Valley (955) had the smallest number.
Table 3: Disability Living Allowance (DLA) cases with entitlement, May 2019, May 2023 and May 2024, and yearly change from May 2023 to May 2024
| Area | DLA cases with entitlement, May 2019 | DLA cases with entitlement, May 2023 | DLA cases with entitlement, May 2024 | Yearly change in DLA cases with entitlement, May 2023 to May 2024 | Yearly % change in DLA cases with entitlement, May 2023 to May 2024 |
| Burnley | 3,020 | 2,832 | 2,915 | 83 | 2.9 |
| Chorley | 2,735 | 2,223 | 2,284 | 61 | 2.7 |
| Fylde | 2,233 | 1,799 | 1,834 | 35 | 1.9 |
| Hyndburn | 2,976 | 2,524 | 2,597 | 73 | 2.9 |
| Lancaster | 3,443 | 2,965 | 3,046 | 81 | 2.7 |
| Pendle | 2,757 | 2,544 | 2,684 | 140 | 5.5 |
| Preston | 3,368 | 2,716 | 2,882 | 166 | 6.1 |
| Ribble Valley | 1,123 | 964 | 955 | -9 | -0.9 |
| Rossendale | 2,254 | 1,847 | 1,891 | 44 | 2.4 |
| South Ribble | 2,601 | 2,042 | 2,097 | 55 | 2.7 |
| West Lancashire | 3,499 | 2,632 | 2,740 | 108 | 4.1 |
| Wyre | 3,781 | 3,031 | 2,995 | -36 | -1.2 |
| Lancashire-12 | 33,790 | 28,119 | 28,920 | 801 | 2.8 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 4,906 | 4,098 | 4,265 | 167 | 4.1 |
| Blackpool | 5,977 | 4,718 | 4,721 | 3 | 0.1 |
| Lancashire-14 | 44,673 | 36,935 | 37,906 | 971 | 2.6 |
| North West | 230,326 | 183,782 | 191,034 | 7,252 | 3.9 |
| England | 1,361,233 | 1,132,743 | 1,193,262 | 60,519 | 5.3 |
| England and Wales | 1,470,684 | 1,210,890 | 1,271,875 |
60,985 |
5.0 |
Source: DLA cases with entitlement downloaded via the Department for Work and Pensions Stat-Xplore data selection tool.
Yearly change
Between May 2023 and May 2024, the number DLA cases with entitlement in England and Wales has risen by +5.0% (+60,985 cases). Numbers have risen by lower percentages over the year in both the Lancashire-12 area (+2.8%, up 801 cases) and the Lancashire-14 area (+2.6%, up 971 cases).
Preston (+6.1%) and Pendle (+5.5%) recorded the largest percentage increases in DLA cases over the year in the Lancashire-14 area. Only these two Lancashire-14 areas saw rises that were above the in England and Wales rise of 5.0%, whilst Wyre (-1.2%) and Ribble Valley (-0.9%) were the only two Lancashire-14 areas to see slight decreases.
Blackburn with Darwen (+167 cases), Preston (+166 cases), Pendle (+140 cases) and West Lancashire (+108 cases) have seen the largest increases in the number of DLA cases with entitlement in the Lancashire-14 area between May 2023 and May 2024, whilst Wyre (down 36 cases) and Ribble Valley (down 9 cases) both recorded small decreases. Blackpool saw a very small increase of just three cases over the year.
The number of people claiming disability living allowance had been decreasing since the peak numbers recorded for this benefit between February 2010 and February 2013 (depending on the area). DLA cases recorded a low point in May 2023 but have begun to increase one again in subsequent quarters. The recent DLA increases are the result of DLA cases for children rising at a faster pace than the reductions in DLA cases for those claimants of working age and those of pension age and over.
Comparison of DLA cases with entitlement for children (aged 0 to 15 years), of working age, and of pension age and over in the Lancashire-14 area in May 2023 and May 2024.
In May 2023, the Lancashire-14 DLA cases for children (aged 0 to 15) numbered 16,022 and accounted for 43.4% of the DLA total (36,935 cases). Working age DLA cases numbered 5,302 people and represented 14.4% of the total and DLA cases of pension age and over numbered 15,601 people and accounted for 42.2% of the May 2023 total. Numbers may not sum owing to disclosure control processes and rounding.
A year later, in May 2024, the Lancashire-14 DLA cases for children (aged 0 to 15) numbered 18,767 (up 2,745 cases, +17.1%) and accounted for 49.5% of the DLA total (37,906 cases). Working age DLA cases numbered 4,846 people (down 456 cases, -8.6%) and represented 12.8% of the total and DLA cases of pension age and over numbered 14,291 people (down 1,310 cases, -8.4%) and accounted for 37.7% of the May 2024 total. The total number of DLA cases with entitlement in the Lancashire-14 area increased from 36,935 in May 2023, to 37,906 in May 2024, a rise of 971 cases (+2.6%). Numbers may not sum owing to disclosure control processes and rounding.
Comparison of DLA cases with entitlement for children (aged 0 to 15 years), of working age, and of pension age and over in the Lancashire-14 area in May 2019 and May 2024.
In May 2019, the Lancashire-14 DLA cases for children (aged 0 to 15) numbered 11,667 and accounted for 26.1% of the DLA total (44,577 cases). Working age DLA cases numbered 10,586 people and represented 23.7% of the total and DLA cases of pension age and over numbered 22,428 people and accounted for 50.2% of the May 2019 total. Numbers may not sum owing to disclosure control processes and rounding.
By May 2024, the Lancashire-14 DLA cases for children (aged 0 to 15) numbered 18,767 (up 7,100 cases, +60.9%) and accounted for 49.5% of the DLA total (37,906 cases). Working age DLA cases numbered 4,846 people (down 5,740 cases -54.2%) and represented 12.8% of the total and DLA cases of pension age and over numbered 14,291 people (down 8,137 cases, -36.3%) and accounted for 37.7% of the May 2024 total. The total number of DLA cases with entitlement in the Lancashire-14 area fell from 44,577 in May 2019 to 37,906 in May 2024, a fall of 6,767 cases (-13.5%). Numbers may not sum owing to disclosure control processes and rounding.
Page updated 26 February 2025