In 2023, there were 47,048 PIP claimants with anxiety listed as their main disabling condition. This makes it the seventeenth most common condition to get an award of PIP for out of over 500 conditions listed by the DWP.
So, if you have anxiety and it affects your daily living activities, such as cooking, washing, dressing or mixing with other people or your ability to get around, you should definitely consider making a claim.
In its general classification of anxiety, the DWP includes:
- Agoraphobia
- Anxiety disorders – other/type not known
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Panic disorder
- Phobia – social
- Phobia - specific
Learn more or take the test
You can read more about claiming PIP for anxiety or take our simple online test now to find out if you might be able to make a claim.
Success rates
The success rate for PIP claims for anxiety is 45%, compared to an overall average of 53%. So you have a less than average chance of getting an award for anxiety, but still a reasonable chance.
Award rates
22% of PIP claimants with anxiety , get the enhanced rate of both the daily living and the mobility component.
Daily living awards
Enhanced daily living 49%
Standard daily living 40%
No daily living 11%
Mobility awards
Enhanced mobility 30%
Standard mobility 46%
No mobility 24%
89% of claimants with anxiety who get an award get the daily living component, compared to 76% who get the mobility component.
Age range
The ages of those currently in receipt of PIP for anxiety are:
- 16-29 years 27%
- 30-49 years 39%
- 50-64 years 27%
- 65 and over 7%
PIP rates
The rates of PIP from April 2024 are:
Daily Living component
Standard rate: £72.65
Enhanced rate: £108.55
Mobility component
Standard rate: £28.70
Enhanced rate: £75.75
So, an award of the enhanced rate of PIP for both components means an extra £184.30 a week.
PIP is paid on top of almost every other benefit and may lead to an increase in some benefits or entitlement to additional benefits.
The enhanced rate of the mobility component also gives access to the Motability scheme.
How you qualify for PIP
This information applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland – Scotland has a separate system. You need to be aged at least 16 before you can receive PIP and you need to start your claim before you reach state pension age.
The best way to decide whether you might be eligible for PIP is to look through this list of PIP activities and think about the ways that your condition affects your ability to carry them out. You are awarded points according to the level of difficulty you have with each of these activities, with sufficient points leading to an award of PIP.
Daily living activities
There are 10 daily living activities:
- Preparing food
- Taking nutrition
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
- Washing and bathing
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence
- Dressing and undressing
- Communicating verbally
- Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
- Engaging with other people face-to-face
- Making budgeting decisions
Mobility activities
There are two mobility activities:
- Planning and following journeys
- Moving around
Remember that you need to be able to complete the activities
- to a reasonable standard,
- safely,
- repeatedly
- taking no more than twice as long as it would take a person without a health condition.
Points for anxiety
Below are some examples of the issues that you might have because of anxiety . Do remember, that if you have other conditions, you can take those into account too.
If you are at risk of experiencing a panic attack whilst cooking, you may need supervision and someone to take over the task if you are unable to continue.
You may have a poor appetite as a result of anxiety and need someone to prompt you to start eating or to finish your meal.
You may have medication related to your anxiety that you do not remember to take unless you are prompted by someone else or by an alarm on your phone.
You might wash or bathe but not to an acceptable standard because, for example, you are distracted by intrusive thoughts or feel restless.
If you have joint pains or pins and needles in your hands as a result of anxiety, you may benefit from an aid to help you dress. For example, you may need a button hook, front-fastening bra or shoehorn.
You may be able to read and understand information but take more than twice as long to do so as someone who does not have anxiety because you have difficulties with your concentration.
Anxiety about social situations may lead to you avoiding them unless you are prompted by another person to engage.
Anxiety about possible dangers or problems when outdoors could make you reluctant to leave the house without someone prompting or encouraging you. You could score points for this, even if you do then manage to complete the journey alone.
There are more examples of ways that anxiety may affect your PIP score in the PIP test for anxiety.
Benefits and Work members can also download a ‘PIP for anxiety Supplementary Guide’ from the PIP Guides page with even more examples and case studies, to complement our main guide to claiming PIP.
Take the next step
Claiming PIP isn't easy. And getting the correct award is even harder.
But there are things you can do to greatly increase your chances of getting the right result.
One of them is to use our highly detailed, step-by-step Guide to PIP claims and reviews, which will support you through every stage of the system.
Because filling in the 37 page PIP2 ‘How your disability affects you’ form in as much detail as possible is vital.
It not only means you are giving accurate and consistent evidence from the outset, it also improves your chances of overturning an unfair decision if you have to go to appeal.
Our guide takes you through the PIP2 form, box-by-box, explaining the kind of information you need to put in each one.
Being fully prepared for an assessment is vital too. Knowing what questions you are likely to be asked and what unspoken assumptions may be made based on your answers, unless you deal with them, can make all the difference. Our guide will ensure you are as ready as you possibly can be.
And because we’ve been supporting claimants for 20 years and have a community of thousands of members who keep us updated with their experiences, we can make sure you are prepared for any unfair tactics the DWP might employ.
And we have guides to every other part of your PIP claim too, from mandatory reconsideration, to appeal to review. Plus a forum where you can ask questions, regular news items and more.
So, whether you’ve tried claiming PIP before and been unsuccessful, or you’ve never had any experience of the benefits system, join the Benefits and Work community to give yourself the best possible chance of getting the right award.
Even if you are not ready to subscribe to the site yet, you can download our guide to ‘The First Steps To PIP Success’ for free and also join the 120,000 people who subscribe to our free fortnightly newsletter.
