According to the most recent government statistics, nearly 3.7 million people were claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the primary disability benefit provided by the Department for Work and Pensions. This benefit offers up to a maximum of £798.63 per month at its highest rates to assist people with the additional costs associated with living with a disability.
Of these 3.7 million people, more than a million report a musculoskeletal condition as their main ailment, according to a new report by the Taxpayers' Alliance. This category encompasses over 23 different disorders, but the majority of claimants suffer from just three conditions; osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis and specific back pain disorders.
Osteoarthritis is claimed for by 265,634 people on PIP, this type of arthritis is typically caused by the wear and tear of cartilage around the ends of a bone, resulting in bone-on-bone contact when the cartilage deteriorates.
It usually only affects a few joints in the body, typically those that are used the most often or have experienced the most injuries. It causes pain, stiffness and a limited range of motion, which can severely impact both aspects of life that PIP assesses; mobility and daily living tasks.
Primary generalised osteoarthritis is the most prevalent among PIP claimants, with 191,788 claims, knee osteoarthritis comes in second with 41,000 claims, and hip osteoarthritis is third with just over 19,000.
Next up in the most common bone conditions is a group that causes specific back pain, with over 191,000 claimants.
The most common condition is a lumbar disc lesion, which can lead to sciatica, lower back pain, numbness and muscle weakness in the affected leg.
Other specific back pain conditions reported for PIP include:
- Lumbar spondylosis - 21,104
- Spinal stenosis - 17,798
- Scoliosis - 11,487
- Spondylolithesis - 6,407
- Kyphosis - 1,097
- Schuermann's disease - 904
More than 163,000 people are claiming PIP for inflammatory arthritis, which includes reactive arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile chronic arthritis, also known as Still's disease.
Instead of cartilage wearing away, this type of arthritis is caused by inflammation in the joint, typically triggered by an overactive immune system.
The progression can be quicker than other types of arthritis and it can also affect multiple joints across the body, sometimes even symmetrically, leading to pain, stiffness and fatigue that can make moving around and completing normal daily tasks challenging.
PIP is comprised of two components; mobility and daily living. Each has a standard and enhanced rate, depending on the severity of your disability's impact on either your mobility or ability to carry out daily tasks.
The lowest level of mobility, which includes your ability to plan journeys as well as move around, offers £29.20 per week. The higher rate provides £77.05 per week.
The daily living component, assessed using 10 categories of activities like washing and budgeting, offers £73.90 on the lower rate and £110.40 on the higher rate.
Due to the varying rates, you could receive just £29.20 per week if you only qualify for the lower rate of mobility. However, receiving both enhanced rates can earn up to £798.63 a month. More information about PIP is available on the Gov.uk website.
