Around 282,000 people have a PIP award with back pain recorded as their main disabling condition. This makes it the third largest group - behind mixed anxiety and depression and osteoarthritis - in the July 2026 figures.
So, if you have back pain and it affects your daily living activities, such as cooking, washing, dressing or your ability to get around, you should definitely consider making a claim.
Success rates
For the five years to July 2026, 57% of new PIP claims for back pain which got as far as an assessment resulted in an award, compared to an overall average of 49%.
Success rates cover new claims under normal rules decided from August 2021 to July 2026, following a completed assessment.
Award rates
20% of people receiving PIP for back pain get the enhanced rate of both the daily living and the mobility component.
Daily living awards
Enhanced daily living 25%
Standard daily living 74%
No daily living 2%
Mobility awards
Enhanced mobility 46%
Standard mobility 32%
No mobility 22%
98% of people receiving PIP for back pain get the daily living component, compared with 78% who get the mobility component.
Age range
The ages of people receiving PIP for back pain are:
16–29 years 3%
30–49 years 28%
50–64 years 43%
65 and over 26%
Percentages are rounded, so totals may not add up to 100%.
PIP rates
The rates of PIP from April 2026 are:
Daily Living component
Standard rate: £76.70
Enhanced rate: £114.60
Mobility component
Standard rate: £30.30
Enhanced rate: £80.00
So, an award of the enhanced rate of PIP for both components means an extra £194.60 a week.
PIP is paid on top of almost every other benefit and may lead to an increase in some benefits or entitlement to additional benefits.
The enhanced rate of the mobility component also gives access to the Motability scheme.
Learn more or take the test
You can read more about claiming PIP for back pain or take our simple online test now to find out if you might be able to make a claim.
How you qualify for PIP
This information applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland – Scotland has a separate system. You need to be aged at least 16 before you can receive PIP and you need to start your claim before you reach state pension age.
The best way to decide whether you might be eligible for PIP is to look through this list of PIP activities and think about the ways that your condition affects your ability to carry them out. You are awarded points according to the level of difficulty you have with each of these activities, with sufficient points leading to an award of PIP.
Daily living activities
- Preparing food
- Taking nutrition
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
- Washing and bathing
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence
- Dressing and undressing
- Communicating verbally
- Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
- Engaging with other people face-to-face
- Making budgeting decisions
Mobility activities
- Planning and following journeys
- Moving around
Remember that you need to be able to complete the activities:
- to a reasonable standard,
- safely,
- repeatedly
- taking no more than twice as long as it would take a person without a health condition.
Points for back pain
Below are some examples of the issues that you might have because of back pain. Do remember, that if you have other conditions, you can take those into account too.
Bending slightly over a chopping board may cause pain or spasms. You may need adapted kitchen equipment that lets you prepare ingredients without repeatedly bending or stretching.
Cutting up food on your plate may cause pain because you have to lean or push down. Someone may need to cut it up for you.
Reaching to apply a prescribed cream or gel to your lower back may be difficult. You may need an applicator or someone to apply it for you.
Bending to wash your feet or lower legs may be too painful. You may need a long-handled sponge or help from another person.
Pain may make it hard to remain seated long enough to empty your bladder or bowels. You may need an aid that supports you in a suitable position.
Twisting to pull on a shirt or reaching into a sleeve may cause a spasm. You may need help with clothing on your upper body.
You may walk very slowly because each step increases your pain or because you have to stop repeatedly with muscle spasms.
After a short walk, you may need a long rest before you can walk again. Trying to repeat the walk too soon may bring on severe pain.
Benefits and Work members can also download a ‘PIP for Back Pain Supplementary Guide’ with even more examples and case studies, to complement our main guide to claiming PIP.
Take the next step
Claiming PIP isn't easy. And getting the correct award is even harder.
But there are things you can do to greatly increase your chances of getting the right result.
One of them is to use our highly detailed, step-by-step Guide to PIP claims and reviews, which will support you through every stage of the system.
Because filling in the 37 page PIP2 ‘How your disability affects you’ form in as much detail as possible is vital.
It not only means you are giving accurate and consistent evidence from the outset, it also improves your chances of overturning an unfair decision if you have to go to appeal.
Our guide takes you through the PIP2 form, box-by-box, explaining the kind of information you need to put in each one.
Being fully prepared for an assessment is vital too. Knowing what questions you are likely to be asked and what unspoken assumptions may be made based on your answers, unless you deal with them, can make all the difference. Our guide will ensure you are as ready as you possibly can be.
And because we’ve been supporting claimants for almost 25 years and have a community of thousands of members who keep us updated with their experiences, we can make sure you are prepared for any unfair tactics the DWP might employ.
And we have guides to every other part of your PIP claim too, from mandatory reconsideration, to appeal to review. Plus a forum where you can ask questions, regular news items and more.
So, whether you’ve tried claiming PIP before and been unsuccessful, or you’ve never had any experience of the benefits system, join the Benefits and Work community to give yourself the best possible chance of getting the right award.
Even if you are not ready to subscribe to the site yet, you can download our guide to ‘The First Steps To PIP Success’ for free and also join the 130,000 people who subscribe to our free fortnightly newsletter.
