Does Pip Affect Housing Benefit?

As someone who receives Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you may wonder whether it affects your housing benefit.

What is PIP and Housing Benefit?

PIP is a benefit for people with long-term health conditions or disabilities that affect their ability to carry out everyday tasks. It can help with the extra costs of living with a disability.

Housing benefit, on the other hand, is a means-tested benefit that helps people on low incomes pay their rent.

Does PIP affect housing benefit?

The simple answer is no, PIP does not directly affect housing benefit. This is because PIP is not taken into account when calculating your entitlement to housing benefit. The same applies to other disability benefits, such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA).

It’s important to note, however, that the amount of PIP you receive could indirectly affect your housing benefit. This is because if you receive the daily living component of PIP, you may be entitled to other benefits, such as the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) or Enhanced Disability Premium (EDP). These premiums can increase the amount of housing benefit you receive.

factors that can affect housing benefit for people who are receiving PIP

• Changes in other benefits – Even if PIP does not directly affect your housing benefit entitlement, changes in other benefits you receive, such as Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), can affect your housing benefit. For example, if your Universal Credit or ESA award is reduced or stopped, this can also affect your housing benefit entitlement.

• Changes in income – While PIP itself may not affect your housing benefit, changes in your income can. For example, if you start working and your income increases, this can reduce your entitlement to housing benefit.

• Changes in household circumstances – Changes in your household circumstances, such as a partner moving in or out, having a child, or becoming a full-time carer, can affect your housing benefit entitlement. It’s important to notify your local council of any changes in your circumstances as soon as possible.

• Changes in housing costs – Changes in your housing costs, such as a rent increase or a move to more expensive property, can affect your housing benefit entitlement.

• Overpayments – If you have been overpaid housing benefit due to an error or change in circumstances, this can affect your ongoing entitlement to housing benefit. Your local council may recover the overpayment by making deductions from your ongoing housing benefit entitlement.

What other benefits can I claim with PIP?

• Universal Credit: This is a means-tested benefit that is replacing a range of other benefits, including Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Housing Benefit. If you are receiving PIP, you may also be eligible for Universal Credit, depending on your income and household circumstances.

• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): This is a benefit for people who are unable to work due to illness or disability. If you are receiving PIP, you may also be eligible for ESA, depending on your circumstances.

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA): While DLA is being phased out and replaced by PIP, some people may still be receiving it. If you are receiving DLA, you may be eligible for other benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance or a disability premium as part of your Housing Benefit.

• Carer’s Allowance: If you have someone who cares for you for at least 35 hours a week and they earn less than a certain amount, they may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance. This is not means-tested and does not affect your own benefit entitlements.

• Council Tax Reduction: This is a means-tested benefit that can help reduce the amount of Council Tax you need to pay. If you are receiving PIP, you may also be eligible for Council Tax Reduction, depending on your income and household circumstances.

• Free school meals: If you have a child in school and receive certain benefits, including PIP, you may be eligible for free school meals for your child.

The Short answer

PIP does not directly affect housing benefit. However, if you receive the daily living component of PIP, you may be entitled to additional payments such as the Severe Disability Premium or Enhanced Disability Premium, which can increase your housing benefit or Universal Credit payment.

If you are unsure about your entitlement to PIP and other disability benefits, you can use the government’s online benefits calculator to check what you may be entitled to.

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/pip
• Housing Benefit GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/housing-benefit
• Severe Disability Premium, GOV.UK,