Personal Independence Payment claimants must report certain changes to the DWP or risk court action and financial penalties
Claimants of Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ) have been issued a stark warning that they could end up in court or be hit with fines if they don’t notify the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) about specific changes to their circumstances. PIP supports individuals aged 16 and above living with long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities that make everyday activities or mobility challenging.
Crucially, the benefit isn’t means-tested and remains available regardless of employment status. Awards are determined by how a condition impacts daily life rather than the diagnosis itself, with amounts subject to change following routine DWP assessments or when claimants’ situations alter.
There’s a legal obligation to keep the DWP informed of any changes. The government website carries a clear caution: “You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change straight away.”
Should you move into a care home, additional reporting requirements apply if:
- You need more or less help with daily living and mobility tasks
- Your health professional tells you that your condition will last for a longer or shorter time than you reported before
- A medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live (you could get PIP at a higher rate under ‘special rules for end of life’)
- You go into a hospital, a hospice, a nursing home or a care home
- You go into a residential school or college
- You go into foster care or into the care of a local authority or health and social care trust
- You’re imprisoned or held in detention
- You plan to go abroad for more than 4 weeks
- Your immigration status changes, and you’re not a British or Irish citizen
- You start or stop getting pensions or benefits from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- Your husband, wife, civil partner or a parent you depend on starts or stops getting benefits from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
Furthermore, claimants must ring the PIP enquiry line immediately when personal details change, including name, address, contact numbers, banking details or doctor, and if there’s a change in who represents you, reports the Express.
Those relocating from England or Wales to Scotland need to contact the PIP enquiry line and submit a fresh application for Adult Disability Payment (ADP), which has superseded PIP north of the border. Alterations can be reported by ringing the PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 4433, with assistance available for those who require help using the phone.