Required period condition
The qualifying period establishes that the claimant has had the needs for a certain period of time before entitlement can start and the prospective test shows they are likely to have continuing needs for a specified period after the award starts.
The 3-month qualifying period and the 9-month prospective test align with the PIP definition of a long-term health condition or disability that are generally used by the Equality Act 2010 and its published guidance.
Claims can be submitted during the qualifying period but entitlement to PIP cannot start until the qualifying period has been satisfied.
The 3-month qualifying period and the nine-month prospective test align the PIP definition of a long-term health condition or disability with that generally used by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and its associated guidance published by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
Claims can be submitted during the qualifying period but entitlement to PIP cannot start until the qualifying period has been satisfied.
Residence and presence
Claimants will need to be present in Northern Ireland, habitually resident in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and not subject to immigration control.
They must have been present for at least 104 weeks out of the last 156 weeks in Northern Ireland.
We treat serving members of HM Forces and their families as present in Northern Ireland when serving and stationed abroad.
A temporary absence abroad for up to 13 weeks may be allowed, or up to 26 weeks if the absence is specifically for medical treatment. The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for four weeks or more.
The PIP residence and presence conditions are the same as those for DLA, Attendance Allowance (AA) and Carers Allowance (CA).
You are considered as temporarily absent if, at the beginning of the period of absence, your absence is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks. A claimant who is temporarily absent from Northern Ireland shall be treated as being present for the first 13 weeks of absence and PIP payments can continue to be paid for this 13-week period.
If you are temporarily absent from Northern Ireland for the purpose of getting medical treatment, PIP payments can continue to be paid for 26 weeks.
Age
Children under the age of 16 are not eligible to claim PIP; they can claim DLA and continue to do so until they are 16.
PIP cannot be claimed from State Pension age except in certain circumstances where there has been a recent award of benefit. Entitlement can continue after State Pension age if a claimant is already in receipt of PIP when they reach this age, providing they continue to satisfy the conditions of entitlement. For further detail on supporting young people to claim please see:
Overlapping benefits
PIP Mobility component overlaps with War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement (WPMS).
PIP Daily Living component overlaps with Constant Attendance Allowance (CAA). Information about Constant Attendance Allowance is available on nidirect.
The overlapping benefit is always paid in full and PIP is reduced by the amount of the overlapping benefit.
Those receiving Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) will not be entitled to receive both PIP and AFIP.
Additional information for veterans is also available.