Moving from DLA to PIP: The Survival Guide for 2026
1. The Big Transition
If you are currently receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and were born after 8 April 1948, the DWP will eventually invite you to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead.Warning: This is NOT an automatic transfer. You must make a full new claim, and your DLA will stop regardless of whether your PIP claim is successful or not.
2. When will you be invited?
The DWP is currently migrating the final cohorts of DLA claimants. You will be invited if:- Your DLA award is coming to an end.
- You report a change in your condition.
- The DWP selects you as part of their managed migration schedule.
Once you receive the "Invitation to Claim PIP" letter, you have 21 days to start the claim by phone. If you miss this deadline, your DLA payments will be suspended.
3. Why DLA Claimants Often Fail at PIP
DLA was a "diagnosis-based" benefit. PIP is a "functional" benefit. Many people who have had DLA for 20 years struggle with PIP because: 1. They focus on the condition name: PIP assessors don't care that you have "Arthritis"; they care that you can't peel a potato or walk 20 meters repeatedly. 2. The "Reliability" Criteria: Unlike DLA, PIP has strict rules on whether you can do things Safely, Repeatedly, To an Acceptable Standard, and in a Reasonable Time. 3. The Assessment: DLA was often awarded on paper. Almost all PIP claims involve a phone, video, or face-to-face assessment.4. How to protect your award
- Don't assume they know you: The PIP department is separate from the DLA department. They will not look at your old DLA files. You must treat this as a brand new claim and provide fresh evidence.
- Use your DLA award as a baseline: If your DLA was for "Mobility," focus heavily on the PIP mobility descriptors. If you had "Care," focus on the Daily Living activities.
- Request an extension: If you need more time to complete the PIP2 form, you can usually get a 2-week extension by calling the PIP enquiry line.
5. What happens to your money?
- Your DLA will continue until a decision is made on your PIP claim.
- If PIP is awarded: Your DLA stops and your new PIP rate starts the following payday.
- If PIP is refused: Your DLA stops immediately. You must then start the Mandatory Reconsideration process to challenge the refusal.