Can I claim PIP for bipolar disorder?

Yes. Bipolar disorder can qualify for PIP when it significantly affects your daily life or ability to go out. PIP assesses your functional ability across 12 activities — bipolar most commonly affects engaging with others, communicating, planning journeys, making budgeting decisions, managing therapy (medication), and preparing food. Both manic and depressive phases can be disabling, and the fluctuating nature of bipolar is recognised by DWP's 'variability of condition' guidance.

How does DWP assess fluctuating conditions like bipolar disorder?

DWP must consider how bipolar affects you across the full range of your condition — not just on a good day. If your ability varies between manic and depressive episodes, the assessor must consider the cumulative impact. PIP asks whether you can complete activities on 'more than 50% of days' — if you have significant episodes lasting weeks at a time, these push your average below that threshold. Describe both phases in full on the PIP2 form.

Does the manic phase of bipolar disorder affect PIP?

Yes. During manic episodes, impaired judgement affects budgeting decisions (Activity 10 — financial vulnerability, overspending), engaging with others (disinhibition, inappropriate behaviour), and planning journeys (poor risk assessment, getting into dangerous situations). Many bipolar claimants focus only on the depressive phase but the manic phase is equally relevant. Describe the real-world consequences — debt, legal issues, risky behaviour — not just the clinical label.

What PIP component do bipolar disorder claimants usually get?

Bipolar claimants most commonly receive the Daily Living component (standard or enhanced), particularly through activities such as engaging with others, managing therapy, making budgeting decisions, and preparing food. Enhanced Mobility is also possible if psychiatric symptoms mean you cannot safely leave the house alone — severe anxiety, paranoia during episodes, or inability to plan a route apply to Mobility Activity 1 (planning journeys).

Should I include my psychiatric history in my PIP claim for bipolar?

Yes — but focus on functional impact, not diagnosis. Include: when you were diagnosed, what medication you take and how complex it is to manage, how often you have episodes and how long they last, specific things you cannot do during each phase, and any hospitalisations or crisis team involvement. A supporting letter from your psychiatrist or CPN (community psychiatric nurse) describing your functional limitations is highly valuable.

PIP for Bipolar Disorder — Claiming During Manic and Depressive Episodes | PocketWise

Bipolar disorder qualifies for PIP when it significantly limits your daily life or ability to get out safely. The fluctuating nature of the condition — with both manic and depressive phases — is explicitly recognised by DWP, and both phases should be described in your claim.

Read more: See our PIP guide for a full overview of how PIP works. You may also find PIP for anxiety and depression useful for the depressive component.

How Bipolar Phases Affect PIP Activities

The table below shows how each phase maps onto specific PIP descriptors.

Activity	During depressive episode	During manic episode
1. Preparing food	Too fatigued/unmotivated to cook	May not eat, impulsive eating, unsafe in kitchen
3. Managing therapy	Forgetting medication, refusing treatment	May stop medication during manic high
4. Washing and bathing	Neglecting personal care	May be hyperfocused or erratic
5. Toilet needs	Sometimes relevant in severe depression	Generally unaffected
6. Dressing	Neglecting to dress, low motivation	Disinhibited dressing/undressing
7. Communicating	Withdrawn, low speech in severe depression	Racing speech; others cannot keep up
9. Engaging with others	Social withdrawal, isolation	Disinhibition, inappropriate behaviour, paranoia
10. Budgeting decisions	Passivity; bills unpaid	Overspending; financial decisions without insight
Mobility 1: Planning journeys	Unable to leave home in severe depression	Poor road safety judgement in mania

The ‘50% of Days’ Test

PIP requires that you cannot complete an activity on more than 50% of days. For bipolar disorder:

If you have one 3-week depressive episode per quarter, you are significantly affected for roughly 26% of the year — below the 50% threshold on its own
But if you have two episodes per quarter, or episodes are severe, or you have residual symptoms between episodes, the 50% threshold is more easily met
Manic episodes add to the total — combine both phase impacts when calculating

Key message: Do not just describe your average day. Explain the frequency, severity, and duration of episodes, and what you cannot do during each.

Activity 10: Making Budgeting Decisions — Often Overlooked

This is one of the most impactful activities for bipolar disorder and is frequently underreported. It assesses whether you can manage everyday money decisions:

Descriptor	Points
Needs prompting to manage everyday financial decisions	2
Cannot manage complex budgeting	4
Cannot make any financial decisions without assistance	6

In a manic episode: A person may spend thousands in hours, take out loans without understanding the consequences, give money away impulsively, or gamble. In a depressive episode: Bills may go unpaid for months.

Give specific examples: “In my last manic episode I spent £8,000 in 10 days and took out a £3,000 loan. I have a financial deputy/trusted person who controls access to my bank account during episodes.”

Activity 9: Engaging with Others

Descriptor	Points
Needs prompting to engage with others	2
Needs social support to engage with others	4
Cannot engage with other people	8

Mania causes inappropriate social behaviour — disinhibition, confrontation, difficulty reading social situations. Depression causes withdrawal and inability to maintain relationships. Both affect engagement.

PIP Rates 2026/27

Component	Standard rate	Enhanced rate
Daily Living	£72.65/week	£108.55/week
Mobility	£28.70/week	£75.75/week

Building Your Evidence Base

Psychiatrist’s letter: Ask your consultant to describe your functional limitations during both phases — not just your diagnosis and medication list
CPN notes: Community psychiatric nurses often have detailed records of day-to-day function
Crisis team records: If you have had Crisis Resolution Home Treatment (CRHT) involvement, this is powerful evidence of severity
Carer’s statement: A family member or partner can describe what they observe during episodes
Hospital admission records: Any inpatient stays are strong evidence of severity

Getting Help

Mind: helpline 0300 123 3393 — benefits advice and PIP guidance
Rethink Mental Illness: 0300 5000 927 — specialist mental health benefits support
Citizens Advice: PIP appeals and mandatory reconsideration
IPSEA / Bipolar UK: peer support from others who have navigated the system

For more see PIP for anxiety and depression, how to claim PIP, and challenging a PIP decision.

PIP for Bipolar Disorder — Claiming During Manic and Depressive Episodes

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