PIP Decision Letter Explained: How to Read Your Award or Refusal

The decision letter tells you exactly why — if you know where to look

When the DWP makes a decision on your PIP claim, they send a written letter that sets out the outcome. Whether you've been awarded PIP, refused entirely, or given a lower rate than you expected, the letter contains the specific reasoning behind the decision. Understanding it is the first step to knowing whether you should accept it or challenge it.

What the decision letter contains

The letter tells you:

• Your awarded rates — Standard or Enhanced for Daily Living, Standard or Enhanced for Mobility, or no award for one or both components
• The point score for each activity — the decision maker lists which descriptor they applied and how many points it scored for all 12 activities
• The reasons — a brief explanation of why each descriptor was chosen, including references to your PIP2 answers, submitted evidence, and the PA4 assessment report
• The award duration — how long the award lasts (fixed-term awards are typically 2–5 years; some ongoing awards have a light-touch review at 10 years)
• Arrears — any back pay owed from the date of your claim, or from the later date your qualifying period was met, to the date of the decision
• Your challenge rights — how to request a mandatory reconsideration if you disagree

How to check whether the decision is right

Get the PA4 assessment report if you haven't already — call the PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 4433. Then compare three things side by side:

1. What you wrote on the PIP2 — your description of how each activity affects you
2. What the assessor recommended — the PA4 report's suggested descriptors for each activity
3. What the decision maker awarded — the points in the decision letter

Look for gaps. Did the assessor ignore something you described on the PIP2? Did the decision maker pick a lower descriptor than the assessor recommended? Did the assessor record your observations accurately? Did they note any informal observations (how you moved, communicated, or appeared) that contradict what you told them?

The point totals for each component determine your rate:

• Daily Living: 0–7 = no award, 8–11 = Standard (£76.70/week in 2026/27), 12+ = Enhanced (£114.60/week)
• Mobility: 0–7 = no award, 8–11 = Standard (£30.30/week), 12+ = Enhanced (£80.00/week)

If you're one or two points below a threshold, check whether any activity descriptor was underscored. A single missed descriptor can be the difference between Standard and Enhanced, or between no award and Standard.

Common errors in PIP decisions

Ignoring fluctuating conditions. Regulation 7 selects descriptors by how often they are satisfied over the required period. A descriptor satisfied on more than half the days applies; if two or more each meet that test, the highest-scoring applies. If none does, but two or more non-zero descriptors together cover more than half the days, the most frequently satisfied applies, with a higher score breaking a tie. If the letter says "can prepare food" without acknowledging that this is only true two days a week, the decision may be wrong.

Not applying the reliability test. Can you do the activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time? If the decision says you can wash yourself but doesn't account for the fact that you need 45 minutes and a shower stool, the "reasonable time" and "aid" criteria may have been missed.

Relying on diagnosis rather than function. A decision that says "has mild anxiety" without exploring how anxiety specifically prevents you from engaging with people or planning journeys may not have assessed function properly.

Contradicting your evidence. If your OT report says you can't walk more than 20 metres but the decision awards 0 points on Activity 12, something has been overlooked.

If the decision is wrong

You have one calendar month from the date on the decision letter to request a mandatory reconsideration — a formal review by a different decision maker. You can use form CRMR1 or write a letter setting out which descriptors were wrong and why, supported by any new evidence.

If the mandatory reconsideration upholds the original decision and you still disagree, you have one calendar month to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal using form SSCS1.

Audit your decision systematically

The PIP Claim Guide for England and Wales includes a decision audit scorecard where you can compare your awarded points against the descriptors you believe should apply, identify scoring discrepancies, and organise your case for a challenge if the decision doesn't reflect your daily life.

See more England and Wales guides →