Government trials online personal independence payment appeals - check if you're eligible

The personal independence payment (PIP) is designed to help people pay for the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability, and is gradually replacing disability living allowance.

PIP applicants could previously only appeal by post, but now, if you live in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, East Sussex, Hertfordshire, Kent, the Midlands, Norfolk, Oxfordshire or Suffolk, you can submit your appeal online.

See all our guides on for more on your rights.

How does PIP work?

PIP is designed to help with the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability, for people aged 16 to 64. It's gradually replacing disability living allowance and is designed to cover the extra expenses of those living with a chronic condition or disability, such as additional transport or specialist equipment.

PIP is made up of two main parts – the daily living part and the mobility part. Whether you get one or both of these and how much you get depends on how severely your condition affects you. Here's how much you may be eligible to claim:

• Daily living part – the lower rate is £55.65/week and the higher rate is £83.10/week.

• Mobility part – the lower rate is £22/week and the higher rate is £58/week.

The minimum payment you can get is therefore £22/week, for those who are only eligible for the lower rate mobility part, while the highest payment would be £141.10/week for those who are eligible for the higher rate on the daily living and mobility parts.

When can you appeal a PIP decision?

If you made an application for PIP and you didn't get the award you believe you were entitled to, you can appeal the decision.

Firstly, you'll need to ask the Department for Work and Pensions to look at the decision again. This is called a mandatory reconsideration.

If you've done this, and the decision hasn't changed, you can then appeal. If you do this, you'll need to give reasons and medical evidence for why you disagree with the initial decision.

How to appeal online

If you live in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, East Sussex, Hertfordshire, Kent, the Midlands, Norfolk, Oxfordshire or Suffolk you can now appeal online. After saying which benefit you want to appeal about, you'll be asked to check if you're eligible to apply online.

The online appeal form is available at all times, and you can fill it in with the help of another person.

Once your appeal is submitted online, it is registered by the next working day and transmitted electronically the same day, which is quicker than post.

You can also sign up to receive progress updates by email and text.