Anyone who receives Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is required to inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about changes in circumstances.

Changing your name, doctor, health professional or address will have no impact on your payments or your award, however, they do need to be reported to the DWP.

Some changes, such as leaving the country for an extended period, could see Brits lose their benefit entitlement and having regular payments paused or stopped.

Here is a comprehensive guide to all the changes in circumstances and whether you need to contact the DWP about them:

Leaving or planning to leave the country for a period of more than four weeks 

The DWP needs to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad.

This includes holidays.

Stays in hospitals or similar institutions

DWP guidance states both components of PIP cease to be payable 28 days after the claimant is admitted to an NHS hospital.

Privately funded patients are unaffected by these rules and can continue to be paid either component of PIP.

If a claimant is in a hospital or a similar institution at the date entitlement to PIP starts, PIP is not payable until they are discharged.

Care homes

The daily living component of PIP ceases to be payable after 28 days of residency in care home where the costs of the accommodation are met from public or local funds. The PIP mobility component can continue to be paid.

People who fully self-fund their placement are unaffected by these rules. If a claimant is in a care home at the date of entitlement, the PIP daily living component is not payable until they leave.

Imprisonment or claimant held in legal custody

The DWP needs to know the date the claimant was taken into prison or legal custody and the length of time they are expected to be there, if known.

Detained in legal custody

PIP ceases to be payable after 28 days when someone is detained in legal custody. This applies whether the offence is civil or criminal and whether they have been convicted or are on remand.

Change of name

This change will not affect payment or eligibility for PIP, but it is important the DWP has the most up-to-date details for the claimant.

The DWP will ask for the following changes:

  • full details of their previous name
  • their new name
  • details of any changes made to the bank or building society account into which PIP is paid, such as the name of the account or the account number
  • their signature on the letter

Change of account PIP is paid into

The DWP needs full details of the name and address of the new bank or building society along with details of the new account including the name of the account, the account number and the sort code or roll number.

Change of person acting for the claimant

If the person acting for the claimant has moved or has different contact details, the DWP just needs the new details.

Change of address

This change, providing it is not a hospital or nursing home will not affect eligibility or payment of PIP. It is important that the DWP hold the most up-to-date details for the claimant.

They need full details of the new address the claimant has moved to, including the postcode and the date that they moved.

Change of doctor or healthcare professional

This change will not affect payment or eligibility for PIP and is not mandatory once a decision on the PIP claim has been made.

The DWP needs the full name, address and contact details of the new doctor or health care professional.

How to report a change of circumstances to DWP

Contact the PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 4433 to report a change of circumstances - lines are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.