Around 61 eye and ear conditions could qualify individuals for financial support of up to £778 per month through Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This tax-free benefit, administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), helps cover extra living costs for eligible claimants.
PIP Components and Rates
PIP is divided into two parts: a daily living part and a mobility part. Each part is paid at a lower and a higher weekly rate. For the 2026/27 financial year, the lower weekly rate for daily living is £76.70, and the higher rate is £114.60. For mobility, the lower weekly rate is £30.30, and the higher rate is £80.
Claimants who qualify for both higher rates could receive a combined payment of £194.60 per week, or around £778.40 per month.
Qualifying Eye and Ear Conditions
Under current rules, the DWP lists 61 eye and ear conditions that qualify for help, though the list is not exhaustive, according to the Manchester Evening News. Rather than a specific diagnosis, the DWP focuses on how the vision or hearing impairment affects the claimant's quality of life and ability to carry out everyday routines.
Eye Conditions
- Conjunctiva, cornea, eyelids, and lacrimal apparatus conditions
- Corneal ulceration
- Entropion
- Herpes zoster (ophthalmic)
- Keratitis
- Keratoconus
- Orbital cellulitis
- Ptosis
- Scleritis
- Anterior uveitis (iritis)
- Chorioretinal disorders
- Posterior (choroiditis)
- Glaucoma
- Eye injuries
- Posterior vitreous detachment
- Vitreous disease
- Vitreous haemorrhage
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Hypertensive retinopathy
- Macular degeneration
- Optic atrophy
- Optic neuritis
- Retina and optic nerve conditions
- Retinal artery occlusion
- Retinal detachment
- Retinal vein occlusion
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Retinopathy
- Cataract
- Astigmatism
- Hypermetropia (long-sighted)
- Myopia (short-sighted)
- Presbyopia
- Refractive errors
- Eye movement disorders
- Nystagmus
- Strabismus (squint)
- Amblyopia
- Cortical blindness
- Diplopia (double vision)
- Hemianopia
- Quadrantanopia
- Scotoma
- Tunnel vision
- Visual field defects
- Other diseases affecting vision
Ear Conditions
- Chronic secretory otitis media
- Chronic suppurative otitis media
- Conductive hearing loss
- Conductive hearing loss due to trauma
- Mastoiditis
- Otitis externa
- Otosclerosis
- Deafness (congenital)
- Labyrinthitis
- Meniere's disease
- Presbyacusis
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Sensorineural hearing loss due to trauma
- Hearing loss (mixed)
- Disease affecting hearing and balance
Eligibility and How to Apply
People can apply for PIP even if they are working, have savings, or are already receiving other benefits. To be eligible, all of the following must apply: the claimant is 16 or over; has a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability; has difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around; and expects the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started.
Common conditions that people claim PIP for include psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depressive and mood disorders, as well as musculoskeletal, neurological, or respiratory diseases such as asthma and cystic fibrosis.
The easiest way to claim is to phone the PIP helpline. Claimants must then fill in a form, after which they will undergo an assessment. People in some areas can also apply online, but they will need to check their postcode before they start the assessment.
