Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has dedicated contact numbers depending on whether you're making a new claim, managing an existing claim, or dealing with assessments and decisions. This guide provides all the PIP helpline numbers you need, explains when to use each one, and offers advice on the best ways to contact DWP about your Personal Independence Payment claim.
PIP Helpline Numbers
The Department for Work and Pensions operates separate phone lines for new PIP claims versus existing claims, so the number you need depends on your situation. If you're making a new claim for Personal Independence Payment, you'll use the PIP new claims line to start your application and request the claim form. Once your claim is registered and you have a claim reference number, you'll use the PIP enquiry line for all queries about your ongoing claim including payment dates, changes in circumstances, and general questions about your PIP.
Both helplines are managed by DWP and operate from Monday to Friday, though exact opening hours vary. Lines are typically busiest first thing in the morning when they open and on Monday mornings after the weekend, so calling mid-morning or mid-afternoon on Tuesday through Thursday often results in shorter wait times. If you're calling about a specific letter or decision, have the correspondence in front of you with any reference numbers ready before you call.
Making a New PIP Claim
When you're ready to make a new claim for Personal Independence Payment, you start the process by calling the PIP new claims line. During this call, an adviser will ask questions about your identity, your disability or health condition, how it affects your daily living and mobility, and your contact details. Based on this initial conversation, they'll decide whether to send you the full PIP claim form (called PIP2) which you'll need to complete and return within one month.
Before calling to make a new claim, gather information you'll need including your National Insurance number, contact details including phone and address, your GP's name and address, details of any hospital or specialist treatment you're receiving, information about medications you take, and details of any care or support you currently receive. Having this information ready speeds up the call and ensures your claim starts with complete information. The initial phone call typically takes 20-30 minutes, so choose a time when you can talk without interruption.
If completing the PIP2 form seems overwhelming, free help is available from Citizens Advice, welfare rights organizations, and disability charities. Many people find the form challenging because it requires detailed explanations of how your condition affects you on bad days, the help you need, and the impact on your daily life. Getting support with completing the form can significantly improve your chances of receiving the support you're entitled to, as poorly completed forms often lead to refusals even when someone clearly qualifies for PIP.
Existing PIP Claims and Enquiries
Once your PIP claim is registered, you'll use the PIP enquiry line for all ongoing contact about your claim. This includes queries about payment dates and amounts, reporting changes in your circumstances such as changes to your health condition or care needs, asking about the progress of your claim if you're waiting for an assessment or decision, querying decisions you've received, and general questions about how PIP works or what you need to do.
When calling about an existing claim, always have your National Insurance number ready as this is how advisers access your claim details. If you're calling about correspondence you've received, have the letter in front of you and note any reference numbers mentioned. If you're reporting a change in circumstances, think through what's changed and when before calling - clear, specific information helps ensure your claim is updated accurately.
PIP enquiry line advisers can answer questions about your claim, explain decisions, take reports of changes in circumstances, and arrange for specialists to investigate if there are problems with your payments. However, they cannot overturn decisions about your award - if you disagree with a decision about your PIP, you'll need to request a mandatory reconsideration in writing, and the enquiry line can explain this process and provide the correct address for your mandatory reconsideration request.
PIP Assessments and Medical Evidence
After you submit your PIP2 claim form, you'll usually be contacted by an assessment provider (currently Capita, Atos, or Independent Assessment Services depending on your area) to arrange a health assessment. The assessment provider has its own contact number separate from the DWP PIP helplines. If you need to rearrange an assessment appointment, change how your assessment is conducted, or discuss accessibility requirements for your assessment, you'll contact the assessment provider directly using the phone number provided in their letter.
Questions about assessment decisions, however, should go through the main PIP enquiry line rather than the assessment provider. While assessment providers conduct the assessment and write the report, the actual decision about your PIP award is made by a DWP decision maker based on that report. If you disagree with the decision, your mandatory reconsideration request and any additional evidence should be sent to DWP, not to the assessment company.
Alternative Ways to Contact PIP Services
While telephone is the primary contact method for PIP, alternative options exist for people who cannot use standard phones. The PIP helplines offer textphone services for people who are deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired, using text relay that allows typed conversation with advisers. Relay UK (formerly Typetalk) and similar services can also be used to contact PIP helplines, with the relay operator facilitating communication between you and the PIP adviser.
For written communication, PIP has postal addresses for correspondence, though responses typically take several weeks. Post is appropriate for formal matters including mandatory reconsideration requests, appeals, submitting additional medical evidence, or situations where you need a written record of your communication. Routine enquiries and changes of circumstances are much faster by phone, but important formal correspondence should always be sent by post, keeping copies of everything you send.
Currently, PIP does not have an online account system like Universal Credit - all routine management of PIP claims happens by phone or post. This means you cannot log in to check your PIP claim status, report changes online, or message advisers through a web portal. All contact must be by phone, textphone, or post, which some people find less convenient than online systems but others prefer as it provides direct human contact.
Scotland: Adult Disability Payment Contact
If you live in Scotland, Personal Independence Payment is being replaced by Adult Disability Payment (ADP), which is administered by Social Security Scotland rather than DWP. New claims in Scotland are now for Adult Disability Payment, not PIP, and existing PIP claimants are gradually being moved to ADP. Adult Disability Payment contact numbers are completely different from PIP numbers - you'll contact Social Security Scotland, not DWP, for all queries about Adult Disability Payment.
The transfer from PIP to Adult Disability Payment in Scotland is happening gradually, so some people in Scotland are still on PIP (contacted through normal PIP helplines) while others have moved to ADP (contacted through Social Security Scotland). If you're unsure which you're on, check your most recent award letter - it will clearly state whether your award is PIP from DWP or Adult Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland. Using the correct contact number for your specific benefit ensures you speak to advisers who can actually access your claim details.
When to Contact PIP Helplines
You should contact the PIP enquiry line when your health condition or disability changes in ways that affect your daily living or mobility needs, when your care or support arrangements change, when you haven't received an expected payment, when you receive a decision letter and need clarification, or when you're moving house or changing other contact details. Prompt reporting of changes helps ensure you receive the correct amount of PIP and avoids overpayments that would need to be repaid later.
However, not every situation requires immediate phone contact. Many PIP queries are answered in your award letter, on the gov.uk PIP information pages, or through advice organizations. Before calling, consider whether the information you need is already available - this saves you waiting on hold and frees up phone lines for people with urgent issues. For complex situations or if you're struggling to get through to PIP helplines, independent advice agencies including Citizens Advice can often help or contact PIP on your behalf.
Getting Help with PIP Claims
If you're struggling with your PIP claim, need help completing forms, want to challenge a decision, or aren't getting responses from PIP helplines, free independent advice is available from Citizens Advice, welfare rights organizations, and disability charities. These organizations can help you understand PIP decisions, gather medical evidence, complete claim forms and mandatory reconsideration requests, prepare for assessments, and represent you at tribunals if your claim reaches the appeal stage. Independent advocacy significantly improves success rates for PIP claims and appeals, particularly for people with mental health conditions, fluctuating conditions, or complex disabilities where explaining your difficulties can be challenging.
