There is a slightly different process if you are applying for PIP in Northern Ireland.

To be eligible for PIP you must:

  • Be 16 or over
  • Have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
  • Have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around
  • Said difficulties are expected to last over 12 months

There are 2 parts to PIP:

Daily living component – for support with everyday tasks. This covers a range of different scenarios including:

  • Eating and drinking and food preparation
  • How you manage your medicines and treatments
  • Dressing and undressing
  • Managing toilet needs and bathing
  • Managing your money
  • How you find socialising and being around other people
  • Talking, listening and understanding

Mobility component – for support with getting around. This covers:

  • Working out a route and following it
  • Physically moving around
  • Leaving your home

It is important to note that in order to start the process of applying for PIP, you will need to call the PIP claims line (0800 917 2222). If this is difficult for you, I highly recommend either asking someone to call on your behalf – you will need to still be with the person when they call however, as you may need to answer some questions personally, or ask for someone to be added to your call.

For this call you will need:

  • Your contact details
  • Your date of birth
  • Your National Insurance Number
  • Your bank or building society account number and sort code
  • Your doctor or health worker’s name, address and phone number
  • Dates and addresses for any time spent in hospital or a care home
  • Dates for any time spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, as well as a list of visited countries

You will be sent a form to complete within 2 weeks after applying. The PIP form itself is incredibly long and some of the questions are worded in a way that may be different than what you expect. Take your time. If you think you may struggle to complete it on your own, I highly recommend having someone to support you in completing the form. You have a month to return the form, but you can contact the PIP enquiry line (0800 121 4433) if you need more time or have any questions.

Be aware that there will be an in-person assessment after you have applied if more information is needed after you return your form. This can also be via phone or video call.

Disclaimer: To the best of my ability, the information found on this website is correct at the time of writing.

Page updated on: 12/08/2025