Brits who suffer from constipation may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the latest official figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) suggest. Common constipation, described by the NHS website as "where you have changes to how you poo, including not pooing as often or finding it hard to poo" can happen at any age, and is often a short term issue. But severe cases of it, particularly in older people, can be debilitating, cause broader health risks, and have a considerable impact on your quality of life. Depending on the severity of the impact you may be entitled to Government support through PIP.
How PIP works
PIP is a benefit that can help with extra living costs if you have both a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition, the GOV.UK website explains. There are two parts you can apply for: daily living and mobility. The former based on whether you're able to do a range of household tasks like washing and cooking, and the latter based on your mobility and travel requirements.
It's available to people 16 and over and under State Pension age. You'll continue getting it beyond that point if you have an approved claim, but you generally can't make a new claim after reaching State Pension age.
Payment rates
For the daily living part, the lower rate is £76.70 per week, while the enhanced rate is £114.60 per week. For the mobility part, the lower rate is £30.30 per week, and the enhanced rate is £80. That would mean you'd get £194.60 per week in total if you meet the eligibility for the higher rate in both England and Wales.
That comes to £10,119.20 per year if you got the enhanced rate for both at 2026/27 rates. However, overall rates are reviewed and often uprated annually, so it may well be more over 12 months if you were granted both enhanced rates now.
Claiming across the UK
Northern Ireland has PIP, and though it's a devolved matter, the rules largely run in parallel with those in the rest of the UK. PIP has been replaced with the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland, though it also has most of the same eligibility criteria.
You can be approved for PIP due to the impact of a wide range of health conditions, including constipation. The last quarterly totals to July 2026 showed 70 cases where constipation was listed as the primary disabling condition for people with PIP entitlement that unlocked both the daily living component and the mobility component at the enhanced rate.
However, it's important to note that a diagnosis does not automatically unlock the support, and a successful claim will depend on it being established that the affect on your daily life and mobility makes you eligible for it. This assessment is made by the DWP, informed by independent medical advice. You therefore should not be put off from making a claim if you haven't heard of someone getting support for from the department before.
