DWP confirms £778 boosted payments for those with common health condition

Joe Sledge
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:41:43 +0000

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will issue payments of up to £778 to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) recipients with musculoskeletal conditions during May following April’s rate increases.

These updated payments reflect higher benefit levels introduced at the start of the new financial year, providing additional support to people living with muscle and joint disorders.

Current figures show close to four million individuals across England and Wales are claiming PIP.

This makes it one of the most widely accessed disability benefits administered by the Government.

The benefit is designed to help people manage the extra costs associated with long-term health conditions and disabilities that affect daily living or mobility.

Musculoskeletal diseases account for a significant share of successful claims, with conditions ranging from osteoarthritis to inflammatory arthritis qualifying depending on how they affect an individual’s ability to function.

More than 1.2 million adults were receiving PIP for musculoskeletal conditions as of January 2026.

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General musculoskeletal disease accounts for 740,225 claims, while regional musculoskeletal conditions represent a further 469,641 recipients.

The department classifies each successful application under one of more than 500 health conditions, identifying the primary condition that supports the award.

A total of 87 musculoskeletal conditions can qualify for the benefit, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and a range of spinal disorders.

Awards are based not on the diagnosis itself but on how the condition affects a claimant’s ability to carry out everyday tasks and move around.

PIP consists of two elements, covering daily living needs and mobility support, with claimants potentially eligible for one or both components depending on their circumstances.

For the 2026/27 financial year, weekly payments range from £30.30 at the lowest level to £194.60 for those receiving the enhanced rate of both components.

The daily living element is paid at £76.70 per week at the standard rate or £114.60 at the enhanced rate.

The mobility component provides £30.30 weekly at the standard level or £80.00 at the enhanced rate.

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As payments are issued every four weeks, this means recipients can receive between £121.20 and £778.40 per payment period depending on their award level.

Individuals who are terminally ill receive their payments weekly rather than every four weeks under special rules.

To qualify, applicants must have experienced difficulties with daily living or mobility for at least three months and expect these challenges to continue for a minimum of nine months.

They must also typically have lived in the UK for at least two of the previous three years and be in the country when making a claim.

The DWP assesses applications through independent healthcare professionals who examine how conditions affect tasks such as preparing food, managing medication, washing, dressing and planning journeys.

Assessments consider whether activities can be carried out safely, how long they take, how frequently difficulties arise and whether assistance or equipment is required.

Claimants may be assessed through face-to-face consultations, as well as video, telephone or paper-based reviews, with the DWP determining the most appropriate method in each case.