Page created: 21 April 2021
Going Abroad
If you’re moving abroad, permanently or temporarily, or you’re returning to the UK, you’ll need to check how this affects the PIP benefit you’re claiming. Whether you’ll still qualify for this benefit will depend on where you’re going and for how long, or where you’re returning from.
If you are planning on going abroad for a holiday, you can have a ‘temporary absence’ from the UK for up to 13 weeks and continue to be eligible for PIP.
You can also have a temporary absence from the UK for up to 26 weeks, if this is in regard to medical treatment undertaken by a recognised medical professional.
You should inform the DWP of any temporary absence, especially if it is in relation to medical treatment, and have this agreed before you go.
Hospital and care home stays
After a stay within a hospital (NHS) or care home, PIP can be reduced or stopped altogether after 28 days.
Care home stays
After 28 days within a care home, no amount of the Daily Living component will be payable to the claimant. PIP Mobility component is not affected during a care home stay.
Hospital stays
After 28 days as a hospital in-patient (NHS), no PIP component is payable (either Mobility or Daily Living) for the duration that treatment is being met by public funds (in-patient treatment - costs of treatment, accommodation, and related services).
NB: If funding is given partly by the NHS in a domestic setting (home), you can be classified as a hospital in-patient and therefore, hospital rules above will apply.
If you are under 18 when you are admitted to hospital, your PIP will not be affected.
Hospital and care home admissions can be linked together if you have further admissions within a 28-day period; therefore, PIP can be stopped earlier than 28 days if these admissions are linked together.
For further help and information on these issues, or to report an admission, you can contact the Disability Service Centre on 0800 121 4433, or alternatively by clicking here.
Scotland
For residents in Scotland, Personal Independence Payment is set to be replaced by the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) sometime during spring 2022.
Disability Living Allowance for children and Attendance Allowance for pensioners is also set to be replaced in Scotland. For further information on ADP and these other benefits changes, please follow this weblink:
https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-security/benefits-disabled-people-ill-health/#ADP
Northern Ireland
For residents in Northern Ireland, please follow this weblink for further information on how to claim PIP:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/personal-independence-payment-pip-centre