PIP descriptors, explained activity by activity
Drafted 24 September 2026 - not independently re-verified against the current legislation.gov.uk text, see the caution below
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.
A caution before you read on. This sandbox's network egress blocks fetches to legislation.gov.uk, so this file's wording and points were reconstructed from training knowledge rather than a live re-read of the current, in-force text. The structure (12 activities, lettered descriptors, points, the 2017-amended wording on activities 9 and 11) matches long-standing, widely-published PIP assessment criteria, but every descriptor here needs a human check against the live legislation.gov.uk text before this data is trusted for a real claim. Only app/pip/points-checker (see the import-fence test) may read this file - the helper, pack and letters stay points-free.
How the scoring works
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, the lower descriptor usually applies instead.
Only the highest-scoring descriptor that applies to an activity counts - points within one activity are never added together. Daily living and mobility are then totalled and scored separately: below the level for an award from what you picked is 0-7 points, standard rate range is 8-11, and enhanced rate range is 12 or more. Someone can qualify for one part, both, or neither.
Jump to an activity
Daily living activities
1. Preparing food
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. I can prepare and cook a simple meal on my own. |
| 2 | Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. I need an aid or appliance to prepare or cook a simple meal. |
| 2 | Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. I can only cook a simple meal in a microwave, not on a cooker. |
| 2 | Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. I need prompting to prepare or cook a simple meal. |
| 4 | Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. I need supervision or help to prepare or cook a simple meal. |
| 8 | Cannot prepare and cook food. I can't prepare or cook food at all. |
2. Taking nutrition
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can take nutrition unaided. I can eat and drink on my own. |
| 2 | 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. I need an aid, supervision, or help cutting up food to eat. |
| 2 | Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition. I need a therapeutic source (like tube feeding) to get nutrition. |
| 4 | Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. I need prompting to eat and drink. |
| 6 | Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition. I need help managing a therapeutic source to get nutrition. |
| 10 | Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so. I can't get food or drink to my mouth without someone doing it for me. |
3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 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. I don't need this, or I manage my medication, therapy or monitoring on my own. |
| 1 | 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. I need an aid, or supervision, prompting or help, to manage medication or monitor my condition. |
| 2 | Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes up to 3.5 hours a week. I need help with therapy that takes up to 3.5 hours a week. |
| 4 | 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. I need help with therapy that takes 3.5 to 7 hours a week. |
| 6 | Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. I need help with therapy that takes 7 to 14 hours a week. |
| 8 | Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. I need help with therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. |
4. Washing and bathing
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can wash and bathe unaided. I can wash and bathe on my own. |
| 2 | Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe. I need an aid or appliance to wash or bathe. |
| 2 | Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe. I need supervision or prompting to wash or bathe. |
| 2 | Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below the waist. I need help washing my hair, or my body below the waist. |
| 3 | Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower. I need help getting in or out of a bath or shower. |
| 4 | Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist. I need help washing my body between the shoulders and waist. |
| 8 | Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. I can't wash or bathe at all - someone has to wash my whole body. |
5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided. I can manage toilet needs or incontinence on my own. |
| 2 | Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence. I need an aid or appliance to manage toilet needs or incontinence. |
| 4 | Needs either (i) supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs; or (ii) assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. I need supervision, prompting or help to manage toilet needs. |
| 6 | Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel. I need help managing incontinence of my bladder or bowel. |
| 8 | Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel. I need help managing incontinence of both my bladder and bowel. |
6. Dressing and undressing
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can dress and undress unaided. I can dress and undress on my own. |
| 2 | Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to dress or undress. I need an aid or appliance to dress or undress. |
| 2 | 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. I need prompting to dress, undress, know when to stay clothed, or choose appropriate clothing. |
| 2 | Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body. I need help dressing or undressing my lower body. |
| 4 | Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body. I need help dressing or undressing my upper body. |
| 8 | Cannot dress or undress at all. I can't dress or undress at all. |
7. Communicating verbally
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can express and understand verbal information unaided. I can express and understand spoken information on my own. |
| 2 | Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. I need an aid or appliance to speak or hear. |
| 4 | Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. I need communication support for complex spoken information. |
| 8 | Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. I need communication support even for basic spoken information. |
| 12 | Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. I can't express or understand spoken information at all, even with support. |
8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using spectacles or contact lenses. I can read and understand basic and complex written information, with glasses or contacts if I use them. |
| 2 | 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. I need an aid other than glasses or contacts to read or understand written information. |
| 2 | Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information. I need prompting to read or understand complex written information. |
| 4 | Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information. I need prompting even for basic written information. |
| 8 | Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. I can't read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. |
9. Mixing with other people
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can engage with other people unaided. I can mix with other people on my own. |
| 2 | Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people. I need prompting to mix with other people. |
| 4 | Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. I need social support to mix with other people. |
| 8 | 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. I can't mix with other people because it causes me overwhelming distress or a real risk of harm. |
10. Managing money
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided. I can manage complex budgeting decisions on my own. |
| 2 | Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make complex budgeting decisions. I need prompting or help with complex budgeting decisions. |
| 4 | Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions. I need prompting or help even with simple budgeting decisions. |
| 6 | Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. I can't make any budgeting decisions at all. |
Mobility activities
1. Planning and following journeys
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. I can plan and follow a journey on my own. |
| 4 | Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. I need prompting to make any journey, to avoid overwhelming distress. |
| 8 | Cannot plan the route of a journey. I can't plan the route of a journey. |
| 10 | Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. I can't follow an unfamiliar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid. |
| 10 | Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. I can't make any journey at all because of the overwhelming distress it would cause. |
| 12 | Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. I can't follow even a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid. |
2. Moving around
| Points | Descriptor (official wording, and in plain English) |
|---|---|
| 0 | Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. I can stand and then move more than 200 metres. |
| 4 | Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. I can stand and then move between 50 and 200 metres. |
| 8 | Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. I can stand and then move, unaided, between 20 and 50 metres. |
| 10 | Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. I can stand and then move, using an aid, between 20 and 50 metres. |
| 12 | Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. I can stand and then move between 1 and 20 metres. |
| 12 | Cannot, either aided or unaided, (i) stand; or (ii) move more than 1 metre. I can't stand, or move more than 1 metre, even with help. |
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.
More on the PIP form
Common questions
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.
Sources
- The Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013, Schedule 1 (SI 2013/377), as amended - the official descriptor wording and points for both components. - drafted 23 September 2026, not independently re-verified this session (network egress to legislation.gov.uk was unavailable)