PIP Eligibility Criteria Explained

A young man with downs syndrome wearing a blue and white checked shirt using a tablet as an aid

This is one of the most important parts of understanding (and successfully claiming) PIP. The “reliability criteria” — safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time — are built into the law that governs PIP and they define how the DWP should judge whether you can really do something, not just whether you can physically manage it once.

Let’s break them down clearly and show how to reference them in your form.

🧾 What Are the PIP Reliability Criteria?

Under the law (Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013, Regulation 4(2A)):

When deciding whether a person can carry out an activity, they must be able to do so safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and within a reasonable time period.

If they cannot do the activity that way, they should be treated as unable to do it at all for PIP scoring.

⚖️ The Four Reliability Rules

1️⃣ Safely

Meaning: You must be able to do the activity without risk of harm to yourself or someone else, either during or after doing it.

Includes:

• Physical injury (e.g. falls, burns, cuts)

• Exacerbating symptoms (e.g. breathlessness, fatigue, pain flare-ups)

• Mental distress or panic attacks

• Risk of harming others (e.g. dropping hot pans, leaving gas on)

Example:

“I can cook, but not safely — I’ve burned myself several times because my hand tremors make me drop pans. My partner has to stay with me in the kitchen.”

💡 If you can only do something safely with help, supervision, or special equipment, you should be treated as unable to do it independently.

2️⃣ To an Acceptable Standard

Meaning: You must be able to do the activity properly and effectively, not just “technically manage” it.

Includes:

• Completing tasks to the same standard as most people.

• Hygiene, nutrition, or accuracy being reasonable.

• Not leaving tasks half-done or done poorly because of pain, fatigue, confusion, or poor coordination.

Example:

“I can wash myself but not to an acceptable standard — I can’t reach my back or feet due to arthritis, so my partner has to help.”

3️⃣ Repeatedly

Meaning: You must be able to do the activity as often as needed throughout the day, without it causing worsening symptoms or extreme fatigue.

Includes:

• Being able to repeat the task several times if needed.

• Not needing excessive rest in between attempts.

• The ability not changing drastically during the day.

Example:

“I can walk about 30 metres once, but after that my pain flares and I can’t walk again for several hours — so I can’t do it repeatedly.”

💡 If you can only do something once or with long rests, you should be treated as unable to do it reliably.

4️⃣ Within a Reasonable Time

Meaning: You must be able to do the activity in no more than twice the time it would take someone without your condition.

Includes:

• Slowness due to pain, fatigue, breathlessness, or confusion.

• Tasks taking you a very long time because of your symptoms.

Example:

“It takes me over 40 minutes to get dressed because of my chronic pain and stiffness — most people can do it in 10 minutes. So I can’t do it within a reasonable time.”

🧩 Putting It Together

To get points for a PIP activity, you must show you cannot do it reliably under any of these four tests.

So even if you can technically manage something once, if it:

• causes pain or risk (not safely),

• you can’t do it properly (not acceptable standard),

• you can’t repeat it (not repeatedly), or

• it takes you far longer than normal (not reasonable time),

👉 you should be considered unable to do it for PIP scoring purposes.

🧠 How to Use These in Your Answers

When writing your PIP form or talking to the assessor, link your examples directly to the four words:

“I can cook a simple meal, but not safely — I’ve burned myself twice and dropped hot food because of tremors. I can’t do it to an acceptable standard because food often ends up undercooked. I can’t do it repeatedly — if I try again later, my hands shake too much. And it takes over 40 minutes, so not within a reasonable time.”

This language shows the DWP (and tribunal, if needed) that you understand the legal tests — and it often helps get a fairer outcome.

📚 Quick Summary Table

Criterion	Meaning	What to Emphasise
Safely	No risk of harm or worsening condition	Falls, burns, exhaustion, panic / anxiety, a risk to others
Acceptable Standard	Done properly and effectively	Missed spots, mistakes, poor hygiene
Repeatedly	As often as needed	Fatigue, flare-ups, rest periods
Reasonable Time	No more than twice as long as average	Slowness due to pain, confusion, breathlessness

⚠️ Final Tip

You only need to show that any one of these criteria applies to an activity for it to count as a difficulty under PIP law.

So always describe:

• What happens when you try,

• How it affects you after,

• Whether you need help or rest, and

• If you avoid doing it because of your symptoms.

If you would like help filling in or checking your PIP form please contact maria@benefitiaforms.co.uk or visit benefitiaforms.co.uk.