Nearly half a million people of State Pension age claiming benefit worth up to £627 each month
05.01.2023 - 15:09
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pension s (DWP) show that by the end of October, there were more than three million people across the UK claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), including 329,334 living in Scotland. The figures also show that nearly half a million people of State Pension age are also in receipt of PIP.
Across the UK, some 486,940 older people are getting support through the disability benefit, including 52,676 in Scotland. PIP currently provides between £24.45 and £156.90 each week, but as the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £97.80 and £627.60 every pay period.
And it’s not just PIP older people are claiming, new figures from Social Security Scotland show that between March and October last year 25 per cent of applications for Adult Disability Payment - the new devolved benefit replacing PIP in Scotland - were made by people aged between 55 and 64.
When someone reaches State Pension age, they can no longer make a new claim for PIP or Adult Disability Payment.
However, if they are already receiving PIP or ADP when they reach State Pension age, they will continue to receive the benefit until the award period ends where it will be reviewed in the normal process - find out more here.
People who reach State Pension age who are no longer claiming any of the working age disability benefits may also be able to reclaim it - as long as they are claiming for the same health conditions that they initially received the award for and the last claim ended less than 12 months before reaching State Pension age.
For people over State Pension age with a health condition, long-term illness or disability they may be eligible for Attendance Allowance - this is worth either