PIP Backpay Alert – Claimants Over Pension Age Could Get £308

If you’re over State Pension age and received Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you might be due some serious backpay. Thanks to a legal change, certain older PIP claimants who were awarded the standard mobility rate could now be entitled to the enhanced mobility component – even if they’ve stopped claiming PIP altogether.

Let’s break down who qualifies, how much you could get, and what steps to take.

Loophole

This all came to light after a tribunal ruling exposed a flaw in the law. Back in May 2020, it was discovered that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had been wrongly denying mobility award increases to older claimants based solely on their age.

Under Regulation 27 of the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013, DWP claimed they couldn’t increase someone’s mobility component if the person was already over State Pension age – even when fresh medical reports suggested they should. That wasn’t legally correct.

The rules were changed on November 30, 2020, to close that loophole. But anyone affected before that date can now ask for a review – and potentially claim backpay.

Timeframe

This won’t apply to everyone. The review only covers PIP claims that were reviewed between:

April 8, 2013 and November 20, 2020.

That’s over seven years of potential errors. If your claim was assessed in that period and you didn’t get the mobility upgrade you deserved, it’s time to take a closer look.

Criteria

To be eligible for a mobility backpay, you’ll need to meet all the following:

• You were over State Pension age at the time of your review
• You received the standard mobility component of PIP
• A health professional assessed you
• You didn’t report any change in your mobility needs
• You received a letter saying your award couldn’t be increased due to your age

Here’s a quick table to make it easier:

Eligibility Criteria	Requirement
PIP review between	April 8, 2013 – November 20, 2020
Age at the time of review	Over State Pension age
Mobility component received	Standard rate
Health professional assessment completed	Yes
Change in mobility reported by claimant	No
Reason for no award increase	Due to reaching State Pension age

Payment

So how much money are we talking about? Right now, the enhanced mobility component of PIP pays £77.05 per week, which adds up to around £308.20 every four weeks.

If you were wrongly denied the upgrade for even a few months, you could easily be owed several hundred pounds – and in some cases, much more.

Bonus? Getting the enhanced mobility rate could also make you eligible for the Motability Scheme, which helps with vehicle leasing and transport.

Action

Wondering what to do next? Here’s how you can start the process:

1. Call the PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 6579
2. Ask about the “Regulation 27 administrative exercise review”
3. Have your National Insurance number ready
4. Or, send a letter to the DWP – full contact details are on the GOV.UK PIP page

If you’re eligible, they’ll take it from there. And don’t worry – your current award won’t be reduced by asking for a review.

Reassurance

One thing that makes people nervous about benefit reviews is the fear of losing what they already get. Thankfully, the DWP has confirmed that your existing PIP award won’t be reduced as part of this process.

This review is purely about correcting underpayments – not reassessing your current condition. However, if a tribunal already made a decision on your case, the DWP can’t overturn that.

So, if you were ever told your mobility component couldn’t be increased because of your age, that decision may have been incorrect. Now’s your chance to have it reassessed – and possibly receive a backdated payment to make up for it.

FAQs