Freebies and discounts available to PIP claimants worth thousands

PIP claimants may qualify for extra income with premiums (Image: GETTY) Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants could qualify for 10 additional freebies worth thousands of pounds to help with rising bills. Benefits like PIP are a gateway to other financial help from the DWP. As the cost of living crisis continues, Britons are urged to check what benefits they are entitled to and the extra freebies and discounts they qualify for. The Department for Work and Pensions offers PIP to people who need help with extra living costs. Claimants qualify if they They’re 16 or over – but under state pension age They have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability They have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around They expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started PIP is split into a daily living element and a mobility element (Image: GETTY) Britons can get PIP even if they’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits. PIP is paid in two parts. Individuals get the daily living part if they need help with everyday tasks and they could get the mobility part if they need help with getting around. How much someone gets depends on how difficult they find everyday tasks and getting around. These are the current weekly rates for the benefit, which is paid every four weeks: Daily living component Standard rate: £68.10 Enhanced rate: £101.75. Mobility component Standard rate: £26.90 Enhanced rate: £71. PIP claimants can get £71 each week (Image: EXPRESS) As well as as monthly cash boost, PIP claimants can qualify for up to 10 freebies and reductions which could help save them thousands. Council Tax Claimants may be able to get a council tax discount if they claim the living or mobility part of PIP. People are urged to check with their local authority to find out what discount could be applied. Disabled Facilities Grant   People can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant if they’re disabled and need to make changes to their homes to suit their needs. In England, people can get up to £30,000 in support.‌ Premiums People certain  benefits could be eligible for top-ups or what’s called a  disability premium . PIP claimants could get an extra £152.80 a week if they qualify for a disability premium. Claimants can get in touch with the DWP if they’re not sure what help they’re entitled to. Vehicle tax reduction If someone is receiving the standard rate mobility component of PIP, currently worth £26.90, you can get a 50 percent reduction in  vehicle   tax . In some cases, people can pay up to £2,355 a year on vehicle tax, so a 50 percent reduction would be worth well over £1,000. It should be noted that the vehicle someone is getting reduced tax on must be registered in the disabled person’s name or their nominated driver’s name. Capped water bills Some water suppliers offer customers help with their bills if they’re on certain benefits through what’s known as the WaterSure scheme. This sometimes includes those on disability living allowance or PIP. Lease a vehicle with PIP cash If someone is awarded the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP and has 12 months or more remaining on their current allowance, they may be eligible to join the Motability Scheme. PIP claimants could also get: Free prescriptions (depending on illness) Reduced price bus or rail fares Motability Scheme Blue badge in England and Wales How to claim PIP On the Government website, it states before people start their PIP application, they will need: your contact details, for example, telephone number your date of birth your National Insurance number, if you have one (you can find this on letters about tax, pensions and benefits) your bank or building society account number and sort code your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital dates for any time you spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, and the countries you visited.’ The PIP new claims phone line is 0800 917 2222.