A benefits support charity has clarified misunderstandings about the realities facing claimants of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), particularly those with mental health or neurodivergent conditions. Financial help group Money Wellness spoke about the extra costs people can face living with conditions such as anxiety, depression, autism, or ADHD.
The update follows a report with findings about people with these conditions who claim the DWP benefit. Depression and anxiety are the top two health conditions that PIP claimants report having, while autism and ADHD are also in the top 10 most commonly reported conditions. Concerns have been raised in the media about the rapid rise in diagnoses of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions in recent years.
Why PIP support is needed
PIP is intended to help with the extra costs associated with living with a long-term health condition or disability. Payments vary depending on how much a health condition impacts daily life or mobility. The Money Wellness team explained why people with conditions such as anxiety or ADHD may need this support.
Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at Money Wellness, said: "Living with anxiety, depression, ADHD or autism can cost more in ways that aren't always visible from the outside. That might mean taking a taxi because a crowded bus feels impossible, paying more for ready meals or delivery on days when cooking is out of reach, or running the heating more because you spend more time at home."
Higher bills and hidden costs
She explained how these conditions can lead to higher bills: "For people with ADHD, missed bills and forgotten renewals can mean late payment fees and rolling on to more expensive tariffs. And people with autism may need things such as noise-cancelling headphones or specific foods because of sensory needs."
"Long NHS waiting lists mean some people end up paying for therapy or assessments privately too." The Resolution Foundation recently published a report after speaking to PIP claimants about their real-life experiences on the benefit.
The study found that 89 per cent of PIP claimants with ADHD have extra costs as a result of their disability, similar to proportions for those with back pain (87 per cent) and arthritis (94 per cent). Less than one per cent of PIP recipients report only having anxiety, ADHD, or autism, meaning the vast majority also live with other health conditions or disabilities.
Managing money is harder
Looking at these findings, Ms Lamb said: "The picture of someone claiming for a single mild condition doesn't match the reality for most people. Many of these conditions also make dealing with money harder in the first place, because opening post, making phone calls or keeping track of bills can feel overwhelming, so debts can build up quietly."
"If that sounds familiar, organisations like us can help you check you're getting everything you're entitled to and work through any bills that have mounted up." One finding in the report is that 16 per cent of those spoken to said they don't currently have extra costs as a result of their health condition.
Reading the 16 per cent figure
Ms Lamb spelled out the reality here. She said: "The 16 per cent figure needs to be read alongside what PIP tests. The assessment looks at what you can and can't do day to day, not at what you spend, so it was never set up to measure extra costs directly."
"People's health also changes. Someone who had high costs when they were first assessed may be in a better place now, which is what everyone would hope for. The report found nearly nine in 10 people have conditions that go up and down, so some may have simply answered on a good day."
In contrast, the report found that in some cases, people are struggling to cover their extra costs even with their PIP payments. The benefits expert said: "What concerns us more is the other side of the picture. Among people who pay more for heating because of their condition, more than a third say they can never or rarely afford it."
"So for many people, PIP isn't stretching far enough to cover the costs it's meant for. There's clearly room for the test to match support to need more closely, and asking about costs at the assessment would help with that."
PIP review ongoing
Major changes to the PIP system could be on the way soon. The Government is carrying out a review of the benefit, co-chaired by DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms.
An interim report said the review team had heard from many people that the benefit was "not fit for purpose". Some disabled people described the process of applying for the benefit as "dehumanising" and "soul destroying". The final report with recommendations to the Government is expected to come out in November 2026.
