The DWP has confirmed that people in receipt of PIP before they hit State Pension age can continue to receive their award – including the enhanced mobility component – after they reach retirement age
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has shared an update for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants currently getting the enhanced mobility component rate of the disability benefit.
Currently, the mobility component for PIP is only available to those applying for PIP, Adult or Child Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland and Disability Living Allowance (DLA). PIP is not available to those over the state pension age of 66 and if you have a disability then you have to claim Attendance Allowance instead. However, Attendance Allowance does not offer an enhanced rate of mobility payment. This caused older PIP claims to become concerned that their support payment would reduce when they reached the state pension age.
The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work recently assured that adults awarded PIP before the state pension age will continue receiving their payout – which includes the mobility component – once they hit retirement age. Mims Davies MP said: “No claimant over State Pension age will lose their mobility component or access to the Motability scheme providing they continue to meet the qualifying conditions of the benefit.”
The DWP Minister’s comments were made in a written reply to Labour MP Navendu Mishra, who questioned how many disabled citizens “stopped receiving a mobility allowance and “lost access to the Motability Scheme as a result of reaching State Pension age in 2023”.
The Minister further noted that throughout 2022-23, an average of 226,000 PIP claimants of State Pension age in England and Wales received the enhanced mobility award. She added “Any claimant in receipt of enhanced rate mobility can choose to exchange this for a lease on a Motability car, powered wheelchair or scooter. “
The concerns arose after an online petition titled “Add a mobility element to Attendance Allowance” gained traction. The petition, initiated by Barry Razzell, contended that the absence of a mobility component in the benefit amounts to “unfair discrimination and needs to be addressed.”
The petition said: “We want the Government to reform Attendance Allowance so that people with mobility issues can get a mobility element for this benefit, and so access the Motability Scheme.” This petition said this would bring Attendance Allowance in line with PIP and DLA.
“If a person receives DLA or PIP they can receive a mobility element for their benefit, and this continues once they reach state pension age, allowing them to get a Motability Vehicle. A person of state pension age claiming Attendance Allowance cannot get a mobility element or get a Motability Vehicle, even when there is a need, but they cannot claim DLA or PIP as they are too old. We believe this is unfair discrimination and needs to be addressed.”
The petition garnered over 10,000 signatures, which allowed it to qualify for a formal written response from the UK Government. The petition can be accessed online here.
