PIP for arthritis

Is arthritis on the PIP conditions list?

There's no list of conditions that automatically qualify for PIP, and arthritis isn't an exception. Having a diagnosis, even a serious one, isn't enough on its own. PIP looks at how your condition affects your daily living and mobility, on more than half of days. See the PIP conditions list guide for how this works.

How arthritis can affect the 12 activities

Arthritis affects people differently depending on which joints it affects and how bad it is. These are the activities it most often affects:

• Preparing food — pain, swelling or reduced grip can make it hard to hold pans, peel or chop, and standing at the hob for long can be tiring. "On a bad day my hands are too stiff to open jars or hold a knife, so I use pre-cut vegetables." See preparing food.
• Dressing and undressing — stiff fingers and shoulders can make buttons, zips and pulling on socks slow or painful. "It takes me about 20 minutes to get dressed in the morning because my hands don't work properly until I've moved around." See dressing.
• Washing and bathing — getting in and out of a bath, gripping a tap or washing hair overhead can be hard when shoulders or hips are affected. "I can't get out of the bath safely, so I only use the shower, and even then I need a seat." See washing and bathing.
• Toilet needs — pain in hips, knees or hands can make sitting down, standing up or wiping difficult. "Some mornings my knees are too swollen to lower myself onto the toilet without holding on." See toilet needs.
• Moving around — joint pain and stiffness, especially in hips, knees or feet, can limit how far someone can walk before needing to stop. "I can usually manage about 40 metres before my knee gives out and I have to stop and hold onto something." See moving around.

What 'reliably' means for arthritis

For every activity, what counts is what you can do safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time. Arthritis often flares, so someone might manage a task once but not again the same day. Pain can also slow a task down, or mean it's done badly, such as buttons left undone. Describe what happens if you try again, not just the first attempt.

Good days and bad days

PIP looks at what's true on more than half of days over a year, not your best day. Arthritis can flare unpredictably, so describe a typical day and a bad flare day, and how many bad days you have in a normal week or month. Keeping a short diary for a couple of weeks can help you see the pattern before you fill in the form.

Evidence that helps

Useful evidence includes letters from your GP or rheumatologist, a care plan, a list of your current medication, or a statement from someone who helps you, such as a family member or support worker. A diary of your bad days can also help. Send copies, not originals. See what to send with your PIP form.

Things people with arthritis often leave out

It's easy to leave out the parts that feel too ordinary to mention. Common gaps include how long a task takes when joints are stiff, needing to rest halfway through cooking or dressing, needing someone to open jars or fasten buttons, and how long it takes to recover after a flare. If someone reminds you to take medication or pace yourself, say that too.

Common questions