DWP will pay £737 a month to adults with one of 87 muscle issues and daily struggle

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new figures showing that over 1.1 million adults across Britain are receiving support through the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for more than 85 musculoskeletal conditions. These conditions, which affect the body's movement or musculoskeletal system, include muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, and blood vessels.

Roughly a third of the population are thought to live with some form of muscle or joint issue and those whose lives are worst affected can qualify for PIP, which is worth up to £737 every month. Alongside arthritis, other common health issues include osteoarthritis, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, gout, polymyalgia rheumatica, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis.

If you're over 16 and under State Pension age, you may be eligible to claim PIP to assist with a musculoskeletal condition. If your ability to work is limited due to your symptoms, you could qualify for 'new style' Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The latest DWP data also reveals that there are now 3.6m people in Scotland, England, and Wales claiming PIP.

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A successful claim for PIP can provide between £28.70 and £184.30 per week in additional financial support. As the benefit is paid every four weeks, this equates to between £114.80 and £737.20 each pay period.

The average processing time for new PIP claims is 15 weeks, meaning applications submitted before the end of this month could be processed - and back payments issued - by the end of February 2025.

The latest data shows that at the end of April 2024, over one million people were receiving support through PIP for