Overview
- The Department for Work and Pensions’ latest figures show more than four million people receiving Personal Independence Payment and about 1.5 million claims listing a psychiatric disorder as the primary disabling condition.
- The DWP published condition-level totals for psychiatric diagnoses, with leading counts including mixed anxiety and depressive disorders (about 435,330), autistic spectrum disorders (about 258,539) and global learning disability (about 173,452).
- Officials also released a list of gastrointestinal conditions with 40,458 active GI-linked PIP claims, led by Crohn’s disease (12,346) and ulcerative colitis (5,897).
- PIP payments are split into daily living and mobility elements, each with standard and enhanced weekly rates, and qualifying for the top rates can reach roughly £187 a week or £748 a month.
- The increase in psychiatric-linked claims—around one million more than in May 2025—may shift how assessments, support services and policy responses focus on functional needs related to mental health and developmental conditions.