Reference
PIP descriptors, explained activity by activity
PIP descriptors are the official statements DWP uses to decide how much help you need with each of the 12 activities. For each activity it picks the one that fits you on more than half of days. The points from those decide the rate. This page lists every descriptor in plain English, with the official wording.
The highest line that fits
Only the highest-scoring descriptor that applies to an activity counts – points are never added together within one activity.
Only the highest-scoring descriptor that applies to an activity counts – points are never added together within one activity.
On most days
DWP only counts something as something you "can do" if you can do it safely, to a good enough standard, as often as you need to, and within twice the time it would take most people without a disability or health condition. If any of those isn't true, or it isn't true on more than half of days, a line further down the list usually applies instead.
DWP only counts something as something you "can do" if you can do it safely, to a good enough standard, as often as you need to, and within twice the time it would take most people without a disability or health condition. If any of those isn't true, or it isn't true on more than half of days, a line further down the list usually applies instead.
8 standard · 12 enhanced, per part
Daily living and mobility are scored, and paid, separately – someone can qualify for one part, both, or neither.
Daily living and mobility are scored, and paid, separately – someone can qualify for one part, both, or neither.
In this guide
Daily living, 1-10
Mobility, 11-12
Checked 24 September 2026 against legislation.gov.uk
This page lists every PIP activity with its official descriptors and points, in plain English. It's the one page on this site that shows points – every other guide here deliberately leaves them out, because a good claim is built on clear, honest answers, not on chasing a score.
Daily living activities
1. Preparing food
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can prepare and cook a simple meal on my own. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid or appliance to prepare or cook a simple meal. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. | 2 |
| c | I can only cook a simple meal in a microwave, not on a cooker. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. | 2 |
| d | I need prompting to prepare or cook a simple meal. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. | 2 |
| e | I need supervision or help to prepare or cook a simple meal. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. | 4 |
| f | I can't prepare or cook food at all. Cannot prepare and cook food. | 8 |
2. Taking nutrition
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can eat and drink on my own. Can take nutrition unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid, supervision, or help cutting up food to eat. Needs (i) to use an aid or appliance to be able to take nutrition; or (ii) supervision to be able to take nutrition; or (iii) assistance to be able to cut up food. | 2 |
| c | I need a therapeutic source (like tube feeding) to get nutrition. Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition. | 2 |
| d | I need prompting to eat and drink. Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. | 4 |
| e | I need help managing a therapeutic source to get nutrition. Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition. | 6 |
| f | I can't get food or drink to my mouth without someone doing it for me. Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so. | 10 |
3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I don't need this, or I manage my medication, therapy or monitoring on my own. Either (i) does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or (ii) can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid, or supervision, prompting or help, to manage medication or monitor my condition. Needs either (i) to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage medication; or (ii) supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage medication or monitor a health condition. | 1 |
| c | I need help with therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. | 2 |
| d | I need help with therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week. | 4 |
| e | I need help with therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. | 6 |
| f | I need help with therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. | 8 |
Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition: what it asks, and example answers
4. Washing and bathing
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can wash and bathe on my own. Can wash and bathe unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid or appliance to wash or bathe. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe. | 2 |
| c | I need supervision or prompting to wash or bathe. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe. | 2 |
| d | I need help washing my hair, or my body below the waist. Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below the waist. | 2 |
| e | I need help getting in or out of a bath or shower. Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower. | 3 |
| f | I need help washing my body between the shoulders and waist. Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist. | 4 |
| g | I can't wash or bathe at all – someone has to wash my whole body. Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. | 8 |
5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can manage toilet needs or incontinence on my own. Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid or appliance to manage toilet needs or incontinence. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence. | 2 |
| c | I need supervision or prompting to manage toilet needs. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs. | 2 |
| d | I need help to manage toilet needs. Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. | 4 |
| e | I need help managing incontinence of my bladder or bowel. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel. | 6 |
| f | I need help managing incontinence of both my bladder and bowel. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel. | 8 |
Managing toilet needs or incontinence: what it asks, and example answers
6. Dressing and undressing
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can dress and undress on my own. Can dress and undress unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid or appliance to dress or undress. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to dress or undress. | 2 |
| c | I need prompting to dress, undress, know when to stay clothed, or choose appropriate clothing. Needs either (i) prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed; or (ii) prompting or assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing. | 2 |
| d | I need help dressing or undressing my lower body. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body. | 2 |
| e | I need help dressing or undressing my upper body. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body. | 4 |
| f | I can't dress or undress at all. Cannot dress or undress at all. | 8 |
7. Communicating verbally
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can express and understand spoken information on my own. Can express and understand verbal information unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid or appliance to speak or hear. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. | 2 |
| c | I need communication support for complex spoken information. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. | 4 |
| d | I need communication support even for basic spoken information. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. | 8 |
| e | I can't express or understand spoken information at all, even with support. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. | 12 |
8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can read and understand basic and complex written information, with glasses or contacts if I use them. Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using spectacles or contact lenses. | 0 |
| b | I need an aid other than glasses or contacts to read or understand written information. Needs to use an aid or appliance, other than spectacles or contact lenses, to be able to read or understand either basic or complex written information. | 2 |
| c | I need prompting to read or understand complex written information. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information. | 2 |
| d | I need prompting even for basic written information. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information. | 4 |
| e | I can't read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. | 8 |
Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words: what it asks, and example answers
9. Mixing with other people
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can mix with other people on my own. Can engage with other people unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need prompting to mix with other people. Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people. | 2 |
| c | I need social support to mix with other people. Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. | 4 |
| d | I can't mix with other people because it causes me overwhelming distress or a real risk of harm. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either (i) overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or (ii) the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. | 8 |
10. Managing money
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can manage complex budgeting decisions on my own. Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need prompting or help with complex budgeting decisions. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make complex budgeting decisions. | 2 |
| c | I need prompting or help even with simple budgeting decisions. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions. | 4 |
| d | I can't make any budgeting decisions at all. Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. | 6 |
Mobility activities
1. Planning and following journeys
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can plan and follow a journey on my own. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. | 0 |
| b | I need prompting to make any journey, to avoid overwhelming distress. Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. | 4 |
| c | I can't plan the route of a journey. Cannot plan the route of a journey. | 8 |
| d | I can't follow an unfamiliar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. | 10 |
| e | I can't make any journey at all because of the overwhelming distress it would cause. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. | 10 |
| f | I can't follow even a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. | 12 |
Planning and following journeys: what it asks, and example answers
2. Moving around
| Plain English (official wording below) | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| a | I can stand and then move more than 200 metres. Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. | 0 |
| b | I can stand and then move more than 50 metres, but no more than 200 metres. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. | 4 |
| c | I can stand and then move, unaided, more than 20 metres, but no more than 50 metres. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. | 8 |
| d | I can stand and then move, using an aid, more than 20 metres, but no more than 50 metres. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. | 10 |
| e | I can stand and then move more than 1 metre, but no more than 20 metres. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. | 12 |
| f | I can't stand, or move more than 1 metre, even with an aid. Cannot, either aided or unaided, (i) stand; or (ii) move more than 1 metre. | 12 |
What to do with this
Knowing the descriptors can help you check your answers are complete and honest – not to help you pick the highest-scoring box. DWP compares what you write against evidence and, often, an assessment, so answers need to reflect what's really happening.
Our free points checker walks through each activity and shows roughly where the answers might land, without asking you to submit anything or storing what you type. If you'd rather build a full claim from scratch, our free helper does that too – and stays points-free throughout.
Questions people ask
Do I need this many points to get PIP?
You need 8 or more points in a part (daily living, mobility, or both) to qualify for that part – 8 to 11 is the standard rate, 12 or more is the enhanced rate. The two parts are scored, and paid, separately.
Can points from different descriptors in one activity add up?
No. Only the highest-scoring descriptor that applies to an activity counts. If two different descriptors could both describe you, the higher one is the one that's used, never both added together.
What does "more than half of days" mean here?
A descriptor only applies if it's true on more than half your days. A one-off bad day, or a description of your very best day, doesn't change which descriptor genuinely fits your usual range.
Should I try to word my answers to match a specific descriptor?
No – describe what actually happens, honestly and specifically. A decision maker compares your answers with any evidence and assessment; wording chosen to fit a descriptor rather than reflect reality doesn't hold up and isn't what this page is for.
You can apply to DWP directly, and Citizens Advice can help at no cost.