New rules: PIP and terminal illness

Tue,23 February 2016
News Benefits

New amending regulations have been issued that modify the requirement for a terminally ill claimant who is transferring from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to wait a minimum of 28 days after the first pay day for PIP to be paid.

This welcome amendment will benefit terminally claimants who are awarded a greater weekly rate of PIP than their current DLA weekly rate.

At present, DLA entitlement ends for claimants who are transferring from DLA to PIP 28 days from the first pay day following the PIP decision regardless of whether they receive more or less under PIP.

Terminally ill DLA claimants are also subject to this rule.

However, from 4 April 2016, the new rules mean that where a terminally ill DLA claimant is awarded a greater weekly rate of PIP than their current DLA weekly rate, their DLA entitlement will end the earlier of:

  • the last day of the DLA payment period; or
  • the first Tuesday after the PIP decision.

Their PIP entitlement will begin the following day. 

View The Personal Independence Payment (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (SI.No.189/2016)