If you’ve been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness or told by medical professionals that you are nearing the end of life, there are special rules that apply to your case when looking for support from the government. This includes a fast-tracked PIP application but requires a completely different application than the usual claim route.

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is the leading disabled benefit currently on offer from the DWP. However, it can take around 20 weeks or more for a decision to be made on normal claims according to Turn2Us.

For those with limited time left, the DWP offers a set of “special rules” that can drastically speed up this process and offers the enhanced rate of daily living payments. These claimants can also skip the face-to-face assessment part of the application process.

To be eligible for these special rules, you need to meet all of the following criteria:

However, the DWP recognises that predicting how long a person will live is not an exact science. Even if people don’t meet the 12-month mark, it advises: “If a medical professional has not talked to you about this, you can still ask them to support your claim under the special rules for end of life.”

If your claim succeeds under the special rules you’ll receive the enhanced level of the daily living element. This provides £110.40 per week.

You may also be eligible for the mobility element too, offering between £29.20 and £77.05 per week. But this will be dependent on your unique circumstances and needs.

There are three ways to start a PIP claim under the “special rules”. First, you can call the PIP claims line which will guide you through the process.

Or you can get an SR1 form from a medical professional such as a hospital doctor, GP or registered nurse. They will fill in the form and may give it to you or send it directly to the DWP.

If you claim Universal Credit, you can send through the SR1 form and then add a note to your online journal highlighting that you have sent the form. If you receive special rules benefits for three years, your claim will be reviewed by the department.

Other benefits with special rules for people nearing the end of their life includes:

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.