Disability Living Allowance to PIP Transfer: What Happens Next

Over 200,000 Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants are being moved to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as part of the government's managed migration programme. The DWP stopped new DLA claims for working-age adults in 2013, and existing claimants born after 8 April 1948 are now being invited to apply for PIP. Your DLA continues until your PIP claim is decided, but understanding the transfer process helps you prepare for assessment and avoid gaps in support.

Who Gets Moved From DLA to PIP

\p>The disability living allowance to PIP transfer affects adults who currently receive DLA and were born after 8 April 1948. If you were born on or before that date, you keep DLA and are not required to move to PIP — though you can choose to claim PIP if you believe it would pay more. Children under 16 continue receiving DLA; they only transfer to PIP once they reach 16, triggered automatically as they approach their 16th birthday.

The DWP sends migration notices in phases, prioritising claimants whose circumstances have changed — for example, if you report a change in your condition, move address, or your fixed-term DLA award is due to end. You cannot volunteer to transfer early; you must wait for your official invitation letter. Once you receive that letter, you have 28 days to contact the DWP and request a PIP claim form. Missing this deadline means your DLA stops, so treat the letter as urgent.

If your DLA is indefinite, you'll still be contacted eventually. The managed migration programme is scheduled to complete by 2025, meaning every eligible DLA claimant will receive an invitation letter before then. The process is designed to avoid sudden terminations — your DLA payments continue at the same rate until the DWP makes a decision on your PIP claim.

The Transfer Process: From Invitation to Decision

The disability living allowance to PIP transfer follows a strict timeline. You receive a letter headed "Important information about your Disability Living Allowance". This letter explains that DLA is ending for you and invites you to claim PIP. It includes a deadline — typically 28 days from the letter date — by which you must phone the PIP new claims line on 0800 917 2222 (textphone 0800 917 7777). Calling this number starts your PIP claim; the DWP sends you a "How your disability affects you" form, which you must complete and return within one month.

Your DLA continues during this period. Even if your PIP assessment takes months, the DWP keeps paying your existing DLA rate until a decision is made. There is no gap in payments if you meet all deadlines. However, if you miss the 28-day contact deadline, your DLA stops on the date stated in the letter — usually four weeks after the deadline. You can still apply for PIP after this date, but you'll have no disability benefit income while the claim is processed.

Once you return the PIP form, the DWP arranges a face-to-face, video, or telephone assessment. Most claimants have a face-to-face assessment with a healthcare professional employed by Capita or Atos. The assessment typically lasts 60-90 minutes and covers how your condition affects 12 daily living activities and 8 mobility activities. This is more detailed than the DLA process, which relied heavily on the written claim form. After the assessment, the DWP decision-maker reviews the report and decides whether you qualify for PIP, and at what rate.

For a full walkthrough of the assessment itself, see our guide on how to apply for PIP and what to expect during the assessment.

How PIP Rates Compare to DLA Rates

PIP and DLA have different structures, which means your payment amount may change even if your needs haven't. DLA has two components: care (paid at low, middle, or high rate) and mobility (paid at low or high rate). PIP also has two components — daily living and mobility — but each is paid at only two rates: standard or enhanced. Some DLA claimants move to PIP and receive less money; others receive more; some stay roughly the same.

As of 2024-25, DLA care component ranges from £28.70 (low rate) to £108.55 (high rate) per week. DLA mobility is either £28.70 (low rate) or £75.75 (high rate). PIP daily living is £72.65 (standard) or £108.55 (enhanced), and PIP mobility is £28.70 (standard) or £75.75 (enhanced). If you received DLA high rate care and high rate mobility — £184.30 per week total — you would receive the same on PIP enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility. But if you received DLA middle rate care (£72.65) and low rate mobility (£28.70), totalling £101.35, you might only qualify for PIP standard daily living (£72.65) and standard mobility (£28.70), reducing your total to £101.35 — the same in this case, but the assessment criteria differ.

The key difference is that PIP uses descriptors and a points system. You must score at least 8 points in daily living activities to get standard rate, or 12 points for enhanced. The same thresholds apply to mobility. DLA had less rigid criteria, so some claimants who easily qualified for DLA care component find they don't score enough PIP points. Equally, some claimants who received low rate DLA mobility because they could walk short distances now qualify for PIP standard mobility, which covers the same situations.

For current payment amounts and how the components combine, see how much is PIP and how the rates work.

What Happens to Your DLA Award During Transfer

Your DLA does not stop the day you contact the DWP or return the PIP form. It continues at the same rate until the DWP sends you a PIP decision letter. If you're awarded PIP, your DLA ends the day before your first PIP payment is due. If you're refused PIP, your DLA ends on the date of the decision. This can create a gap if you challenge the decision, because you receive no disability benefit while a mandatory reconsideration or appeal is in progress — unless you qualify for the "assessment rate" of PIP, which is rare and applies only if the DWP changes an existing PIP award, not during a first claim.

If you're awarded PIP at a lower rate than your DLA, the DWP pays the difference as a lump sum if PIP is backdated to the date your DLA stopped. For example, if you received DLA high rate care (£108.55/week) and are awarded PIP standard daily living (£72.65/week), you'll notice a drop in weekly income. Conversely, if you're awarded higher PIP rates, you receive arrears covering the period from your DLA end date to your first PIP payment.

One crucial detail: if you have an indefinite DLA award and you're refused PIP, you cannot simply go back to DLA. Your DLA ends permanently once the transfer process starts. This is why many claimants find the disability living allowance to PIP transfer stressful — there's a real risk of losing support entirely. If you're refused, you should request a mandatory reconsideration immediately. You have one month from the decision letter date to do this. If the reconsideration upholds the refusal, you can appeal to an independent tribunal, which overturns around 70% of PIP refusals — but this can take 6-12 months, during which you have no disability benefit income.

Preparing for the PIP Assessment After DLA

The PIP assessment is more intensive than the process that awarded your DLA. DLA claims were often decided on the written form alone, especially for long-term conditions. PIP requires nearly everyone to attend an assessment. The assessor is checking how your condition affects you on more than half the days in a 12-month period — the "reliability" test. You must be able to complete an activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time. If pain, fatigue, or confusion means you can't, you score points even if you physically can do the task.

Many DLA claimants are surprised that the PIP assessor asks them to demonstrate physical tasks — standing up, lifting arms, picking up objects. This is more common in PIP assessments than it was in DLA. The assessor observes how you walk into the room, whether you need help removing your coat, how you sit down. They note if you seem confused, if you repeat yourself, if you need prompting to answer questions. All of this feeds into the assessment report.

Before your assessment, gather evidence: recent prescriptions, appointment letters, care plans, letters from consultants or social workers. Bring a list of your medication and doses. If someone helps you daily — a family member, a carer, a support worker — ask them to write a letter describing exactly what they do for you and how often. The assessor can speak to a companion during the assessment if you find it hard to explain your needs, though they will ask you to consent first.

Focus on your worst days. PIP law says you score points if you need help or cannot do an activity more than half the time. If you have good days and bad days, describe both, but emphasise the frequency of bad days. If fatigue means you can't cook a meal three days a week, say so. If brain fog means you forget to take medication unless prompted, explain the consequences when that happens. The assessor is not testing whether you're truthful; they're checking whether the evidence supports the points threshold.

Read our detailed guide on PIP and what the assessment covers before your appointment.

If You're Also Claiming Carer's Allowance or Universal Credit

If someone receives Carer's Allowance because they care for you, they must be caring for someone who gets a qualifying disability benefit. DLA middle or high rate care qualifies, as does PIP daily living component at either rate. If you move from DLA low rate care to no PIP daily living, or you're refused PIP entirely, your carer loses entitlement to Carer's Allowance. The DWP should notify them, but sometimes this happens after payments have already stopped, creating overpayments.

If you receive Universal Credit, a PIP award triggers the health element — an extra £390 per month if you get PIP daily living at any rate, rising to £614 if you get the enhanced rate. If you currently get the UC health element because of your DLA care component, and you're refused PIP or awarded PIP mobility only, you lose that element. This can cut your UC by hundreds of pounds per month. The work capability assessment for UC is separate from PIP — you can have limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) without getting PIP, and vice versa — but losing PIP daily living means losing the UC health boost.

For more on how these benefits interact, see Carer's Allowance and Universal Credit: how they work together.

What to Do If Your PIP Claim Is Refused

Around 30% of new PIP claims are refused entirely, and many more are awarded lower rates than the claimant expected. If you disagree with the decision, you must request a mandatory reconsideration within one calendar month of the decision letter date. This is not optional — you cannot appeal to a tribunal without a mandatory reconsideration first. Phone the DWP on 0800 121 4433 or write to the address on your decision letter. Explain why you think the decision is wrong, refer to evidence the assessor ignored, and mention any descriptors where you believe you should have scored more points.

The DWP reconsiders your claim using the same evidence, sometimes requesting additional information. This takes 4-8 weeks on average. If they uphold the refusal, you receive a "mandatory reconsideration notice" explaining their reasoning. You then have one month to appeal to the independent tribunal, managed by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Appeals take 6-12 months to hear, but around 70% succeed — meaning you'll eventually receive PIP backdated to your original claim date. During this period, you receive no PIP and no DLA.

If the wait causes financial hardship, check whether you qualify for other benefits. Attendance Allowance is a separate benefit for people over State Pension age, but if you're under that age, you might qualify for UC with the health element if you pass the work capability assessment. Some claimants apply for Personal Independence Payment again after a refusal — submitting a fresh claim rather than appealing — but this rarely succeeds unless your condition has worsened or you have significant new evidence.

Timeline and Key Dates for DLA to PIP Transfer

The disability living allowance to PIP transfer is not instant. From receiving the invitation letter to getting a PIP decision typically takes 4-6 months, sometimes longer if the DWP is backlogged or if your assessment is delayed. Here's a realistic timeline:

• Week 1: You receive the DLA to PIP migration letter. Deadline to contact the DWP is 28 days from the letter date.
• Week 2: You phone the PIP new claims line. The DWP registers your claim and posts the "How your disability affects you" form. This usually arrives within one week.
• Week 4: You complete and return the form. You have one month from the date the DWP sent it, not from the date you receive it — check the date at the top of the form.
• Week 8-12: The DWP reviews your form and arranges an assessment. You'll receive a letter with the date, time, and location (or a phone number if it's a telephone assessment). This can take 4-8 weeks.
• Week 14-16: You attend the assessment. The assessor writes a report, which takes 1-2 weeks.
• Week 18-20: The DWP decision-maker reviews the report and makes a decision. You receive the decision letter, which includes your PIP award (or refusal) and the reasons.

If you're awarded PIP, your first payment is usually within two weeks of the decision. If you're refused, you have one month to request mandatory reconsideration. Your DLA stops the day the decision is made, so if you wait to challenge it, you'll have no disability benefit income during that month.

Differences in How PIP and DLA Assess Mobility Needs

One major change in the disability living allowance to PIP transfer is mobility assessment. DLA low rate mobility was awarded if you could walk but needed guidance or supervision outdoors — for example, if you have a learning disability and get confused in unfamiliar places, or if you have a mental health condition and panic in crowds. DLA high rate mobility required that you were unable to walk or virtually unable to walk, or that walking caused severe discomfort.

PIP uses two mobility descriptors: planning and following journeys, and moving around. Planning and following journeys is where psychological and cognitive difficulties are scored — if you can't travel to unfamiliar places without another person, or if you get so overwhelmed that you can't leave the house, you score points here. Moving around is purely physical — measured in metres. If you can't walk more than 20 metres without stopping or severe discomfort, you qualify for enhanced mobility (which is the same rate as DLA high rate mobility). If you can walk 20 metres but not more than 50 metres, you get standard rate. If you can walk more than 50 metres, you score no points for moving around — though you might still score points for planning journeys.

Many DLA claimants who received low rate mobility because they needed supervision outdoors are awarded PIP standard mobility under planning and following journeys. However, the test is stricter: you must be unable to go out alone because of psychological distress, not just because it's safer to have someone with you. If you can technically manage a familiar journey alone but it's exhausting or risky, you might not score enough points. This is one reason some DLA claimants lose mobility support when they transfer to PIP.

What Happens If You Don't Respond to the Invitation

If you ignore the DLA to PIP migration letter, your DLA stops. The letter states a deadline — usually four weeks after the 28-day contact period. If you don't phone the PIP new claims line within 28 days, the DWP sends a further letter reminding you. If you still don't respond, your DLA ends on the date stated. You can apply for PIP after this date, but you'll be treated as a new claimant with no disability benefit income while the claim is processed.

Some claimants miss the letter because they've moved and not updated their address, or because they're in hospital, or because the letter arrives while they're dealing with a crisis. If you have a good reason for missing the deadline, contact the DWP immediately and explain. They may extend the deadline or reinstate your DLA while your PIP claim is processed, but this isn't guaranteed. The best approach is to contact the PIP new claims line as soon as you receive the migration letter, even if you're not sure you're ready to claim.

If you're certain you no longer need disability benefit support, you can choose not to claim PIP. Your DLA stops, and you exit the system. However, this is rare — most DLA claimants still have substantial care or mobility needs, and losing the benefit also means losing entitlements that depend on it, such as Carer's Allowance for someone caring for you, the UC health element, or the disability element of Housing Benefit if you haven't yet moved to Universal Credit.

Getting Help With the Transfer Process

The disability living allowance to PIP transfer is complex, and mistakes can cost you months of income. Citizens Advice offers free support with PIP claims — they can help you complete the form, prepare for the assessment, and challenge refusals. Contact your local bureau or use the Citizens Advice website to find your nearest office. Many bureaus run PIP information sessions, and some have specialist disability advisers who understand the descriptors and scoring.

Disability charities also offer support. Scope, Mind, Mencap, and other condition-specific charities often have helplines or online guides explaining how to present evidence for your condition. Some offer benefits advice services or can refer you to an adviser. If you're a member of a trade union, check whether they offer benefits advice — many do, even for members who are no longer working.

If you can afford it, some solicitors and advice agencies offer paid benefits advice. This is unusual for PIP claims, but if you're appealing a refusal and your case is complex — for example, if you have several fluctuating conditions and the assessor scored you inconsistently — a specialist adviser can prepare tribunal submissions and sometimes attend the hearing with you. Legal aid is not available for PIP claims or appeals, but some law centres offer free representation at tribunals if you meet their criteria.

This is general information, not personalised advice. Benefit rules change — always check GOV.UK or Citizens Advice for your circumstances.