The DWP consider anyone who has significant functional impairment 12 weeks after first being infected with Covid as having Long Covid and potentially being eligible for PIP.
You do not have to show that your initial infection was severe in order to be accepted as having Long Covid.
So even people who had a very mild initial infection may be eligible for PIP if their condition subsequently deteriorates.
You also do not have to show that you have had a positive test result.
Nor do you need to show that you have been prescribed medication for Long Covid or have seen a specialist in order to have your claim accepted.
What counts as Long Covid
The DWP documents list the following symptoms for Long Covid:
PIP components, rates and scores
PIP has two components:
Each component has two rates:
Claimants who are assessed as having:
Daily living activities
The decision about whether you are entitled to the daily living component, and if so at what rate, is based on the number of points you score in total for the following activities:
Each of these activities is divided into a number of point scoring descriptors. To get an award of the daily living component, you need to score:
8 points for the standard rate
12 points for the enhanced rate
You can only score one set of points from each activity, if two or more apply from the same activity only the highest will count. So, for example, if:
4 d. Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below the waist. 2 points
4 f. Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist. 4 points
both apply, you will receive only the 4 points for the ‘between the shoulders and waist’ activity. These can then be added to points for other activities, such as 'Dressing and undressing'
Mobility activities
The decision about whether you are entitled to the mobility component, and if so at what rate, is based on the number of points you score in total for the following activities:
Both of these activities are divided into a number of point scoring descriptors. To get an award of the mobility component you need to score:
8 points for the standard rate
12 points for the enhanced rate
As with daily living above, you only score the highest points that apply to you from each activity, but you can add points from mobility activities 1 and 2 together to reach your final total.
There are clearly many more symptoms than those mentioned above which may affect you.
For example, headaches may greatly limit concentration on tasks such as preparing food and budgeting, but may also make physical tasks such as washing and dressing difficult and painful.
Tinnitus may make social engagement, communication and concentration on any task a problem as well as potentially causing depression and anxiety.
Changes to your sense of smell and taste, feeling sick and stomach aches may all make taking nutrition very difficult.
Chest pain and palpitations may make you extremely anxious and unable to focus on even simple tasks as well as experiencing enormous anxiety at the thought of undertaking a journey.
Make sure that you give details of any symptoms that affect your ability to carry out PIP activities and describe as clearly as possible the effect they have.
Please note: these are just examples of the kinds of information you may wish to give – they aren’t ‘correct’ answers of any sort. But it is vital that you give detailed evidence rather than just ticking boxes.
PIP SCORING SYSTEM AND SAMPLE ANSWER FOR QUESTION 3 (ACTIVITY 1) ON 'HOW YOUR DISABILITY AFFECTS YOU' FORM
Q3 Preparing food
The descriptors: what the law says you score points for
1a. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. 0 points.
1b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points.
1c. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. 2 points.
1d. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal.
2 points.
1e. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 4 points.
1f. Cannot prepare and cook food. 8 points.
Sample Answer
Because of my severe depression due to Long Covid, I have problems motivating myself to prepare food. I will often not eat at all unless my son encourages me to do so. But if I do prepare food, it will just be a sandwich as I cannot find the energy or concentration to plan and cook a meal. When my son was away for work for three days I didn’t eat a single cooked meal in all that time. The best I managed was some beans on toast. I lost four pounds in weight whilst he was away. I don’t use any special aids or appliances for cooking because they would not help to motivate me. If my son is at home, he encourages me to cook simple meals, but he has to keep reminding me what to do and encouraging me. I am sometimes more motivated later on in the day, but in the mornings I am very tired and depressed. I don’t have better days, but I do have worse days on average about three times a week when nothing my son says makes any difference at all.
PIP SCORING SYSTEM AND SAMPLE ANSWER FOR QUESTION 5 (ACTIVITY 3) ON 'HOW YOUR DISABILITY AFFECTS YOU' FORM
Q5 Managing your treatments
The descriptors: what the law says you score points for
a. Either –
3a. (i) does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or
(ii) can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided. 0 points.
3b. Needs any one or more of the following -
(i) to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage medication
(ii) supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage medication.
(iii) supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to monitor a health condition. 1 point.
3c. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. 2 points.
3d. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week. 4 points.
3e. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. 6 points.
3f. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. 8 points.
Sample Answer
Because of Long Covid I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and I get very foggy and confused. I also have problems with memory and concentration. This means I cannot be relied upon to take my medication or to remember if I have taken it. In the past I have failed to take my medication for several days or have taken too much and as a result my wife had to take me to hospital. My wife puts all my pills in a pill dispenser with a timer that sounds an alarm when it’s time to take them. My wife also phones me every lunchtime to make sure I have taken my pills, because even with the alarm I sometimes forget or take some of the pills and forget to take the rest. I am at my worst when I first wake up and in the evening. I am this fatigued on at least six days out of seven.
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