PIP eating and drinking: descriptors and example answers
The eating and drinking activity asks whether you can cut up food, get it to your mouth, chew, swallow and drink safely and to an acceptable standard. It also covers needing a therapeutic source, such as tube feeding. DWP looks at whether you can do this reliably: safely, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time, on more than half of days.
Whether you can cut up food, eat and drink safely, on most days.
In this guide
In short
- It's about cutting food, chewing, swallowing and getting food to your mouth.
- Choking, coughing or losing weight because of this all count.
- A therapeutic source, such as tube feeding, counts too.
- Describe most days, and what a bad day looks like.
Pick what's hard, any aids you use, and who helps. The helper writes it up in plain words for question 4.
What the activity asks
Eating and drinking is question 4 on the PIP2 form. It asks whether you can cut up food, get it to your mouth, chew, swallow, and drink from a cup.
It also covers needing a therapeutic source, such as tube feeding, to get nutrition.
Key things that count
These all count for this activity:
- cutting up food, holding cutlery, or lifting a cup;
- chewing, swallowing, or remembering to eat;
- aids such as adapted cutlery or a non-slip mat;
- needing supervision in case something goes wrong, or help cutting food up;
- using a therapeutic source, such as tube feeding, and needing help to manage it;
- needing someone to feed you.
What 'reliably' means
For every activity, DWP should only count what you can do:
- safely, without real risk of harm, such as choking;
- to an acceptable standard;
- repeatedly, as often as you'd reasonably need to;
- in a reasonable time, no more than twice as long as someone without your condition.
So if meals take you far longer than usual, or you often choke or cough while eating, say so. That's part of whether you can eat and drink reliably.
The descriptors
These are the official statements, from the least help to the most. DWP picks the one that fits you on more than half of days. The PIP descriptors guide shows how each one is scored.
- Can take nutrition unaided.
- 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.
- Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition.
- Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition.
- Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition.
- Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so.
Example answers
Invented examples, not real claims. Write your own in your own words, about your own day.
Weak: "I find eating difficult sometimes."
This doesn't say what's hard, how often, or what help is needed.
Clearer: "On most days I cough or choke at least once during a meal because swallowing is hard. I use a non-slip mat and adapted cutlery, but someone still needs to cut up meat for me. Meals take about twice as long as they used to. Last month I lost weight because I stopped eating solid food some days."
This says what happens, how often, the aids used, the help needed, and a real example.
Good days and bad days
DWP looks at what's true on more than half of days over a year. If eating and drinking varies for you, say what you can manage on a typical day and on a bad day, and how many bad days you have in a normal week or month.
Evidence that helps
Useful evidence includes a letter from a GP, dietitian, speech and language therapist or consultant that mentions swallowing, choking or weight loss, a hospital report, or a note from someone who has seen you eat. Send copies, not originals. See what to send with your PIP form.
Common questions
Does choking count for PIP?
Yes. If you choke or cough while eating, that's relevant to whether you can eat and drink safely. Say how often it happens and what triggers it.
Does tube feeding count under this activity?
Yes. Needing a therapeutic source, such as tube feeding, to get nutrition is covered by this activity. Say what you need help with to manage it.
What if I can eat but it takes much longer?
Taking much longer than a reasonable time to eat or drink is part of this activity. Say roughly how much longer it takes.
Does cutting up food count as help?
Yes. Needing someone to cut up your food, even if you can feed yourself afterwards, counts as needing assistance with this activity.
Is losing weight relevant to this activity?
It can be. If you've lost weight because eating or drinking is hard, mention it as evidence of how the activity affects you.
Claiming is free
You can apply to DWP directly, and Citizens Advice can help at no cost. We're here if you'd rather do it yourself, at your own pace, any time, with no appointment to wait for.
Free to answer, and free while we test.
Free to answer. Nothing sent to a server.
Sources
- The Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013, Schedule 1 - legislation.gov.uk - checked 27 September 2026
- PIP assessment guide part 2: the assessment criteria - GOV.UK - checked 27 September 2026