The Short Answer
If you already get PIP, it does not stop when you reach State Pension age. It continues for as long as you still meet the conditions. What you usually cannot do is make a new PIP claim after pension age. If you have never claimed PIP, or your PIP ended more than 12 months ago, you apply for Attendance Allowance instead, which pays £76.70 or £114.60 a week (2026/27).
PIP and Pension Age: The Key Rules
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is for people under State Pension age. Attendance Allowance (AA) is for people who have reached it. Here is how the rules work in practice:
| Your Situation | What Happens |
|---|---|
| You already get PIP and reach State Pension age | PIP continues as long as you still meet the conditions |
| You are over State Pension age and have never had PIP | You usually cannot claim PIP – apply for Attendance Allowance |
| Your PIP stopped within the last 12 months | You can make a new PIP claim, even over pension age |
| Your PIP stopped more than 12 months ago | You usually cannot reclaim PIP – apply for Attendance Allowance |
| You get PIP and want Attendance Allowance as well | Not possible – you cannot get both at the same time |
Source: GOV.UK, PIP eligibility and Attendance Allowance eligibility.
If You Already Have PIP, It Continues
This is the most important point: reaching State Pension age does not cancel your PIP. If you already get the daily living part, the mobility part, or both, your payments carry on. State Pension age is 66 and is rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028, so check your own date on GOV.UK.
You do not need to claim anything or tell anyone to keep your PIP just because of your age. When your award comes up for review you can renew it, as long as you still meet the PIP conditions. According to Citizens Advice, if you are already getting PIP when you reach State Pension age, the DWP will usually turn it into an indefinite award (no end date), reviewed periodically.
Why Keeping PIP Can Be Worth More Than Attendance Allowance
PIP has a mobility part (£30.30 or £80.00 a week in 2026/27) that Attendance Allowance does not have at all. If you get enhanced PIP for both daily living and mobility, you receive up to £194.60 a week, compared with a maximum of £114.60 a week on Attendance Allowance. If you have a Motability vehicle, check with Motability what would happen to it if your mobility part stopped.
If You Need to Make a New Claim After Pension Age
If you have never claimed PIP and you are now over State Pension age, you usually cannot start a new PIP claim. GOV.UK says that if you are over State Pension age you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead.
This is the right route if:
- You have recently developed a health condition or disability
- An existing condition has got worse and you now need help
- You never claimed any disability benefit before reaching pension age
- You used to get PIP, but it stopped more than 12 months ago
The 12-Month Exception
There is one important exception that many guides miss. You can make a new claim for PIP if you got PIP (or Adult Disability Payment in Scotland) in the last 12 months, even if you are now over State Pension age. So if your PIP stopped recently, you have a choice to think about: challenge the decision, make a fresh PIP claim, or apply for Attendance Allowance. You cannot receive both at once, so it is worth getting advice before you decide, particularly if you get the mobility part.
PIP vs Attendance Allowance: How the Rates Compare (2026/27)
| Component | PIP Rate | Attendance Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Daily living – standard / AA lower rate | £76.70/week | £76.70/week |
| Daily living – enhanced / AA higher rate | £114.60/week | £114.60/week |
| Mobility – standard | £30.30/week | No equivalent |
| Mobility – enhanced | £80.00/week | No equivalent |
Source: GOV.UK, benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027.
The daily living rates are identical. The real difference is the mobility part, which only PIP has, and the way each benefit is assessed: PIP looks at how hard you find specific daily living and mobility activities, while Attendance Allowance looks at whether you need help with personal care or supervision to keep you safe. Both are tax-free and not means-tested.
What If Your PIP Ends After Pension Age?
PIP awards are reviewed from time to time. This is routine and is not linked to your age. At a review, the DWP checks whether your needs have changed:
- If you still meet the conditions: PIP continues
- If the DWP decides you no longer qualify: PIP stops. You can ask for the decision to be looked at again (called mandatory reconsideration), and you may also be able to apply for Attendance Allowance if you still need help with personal care or supervision
There is no automatic switch from PIP to Attendance Allowance. It is a separate benefit with its own claim, and you cannot get it while you are still being paid PIP. Once your PIP has actually stopped, you need to make a fresh application.
The “Gap” Problem and How to Avoid It
Warning: Know When Your Claim Starts
Attendance Allowance does not start from the day your PIP stopped. It starts from the date of your claim, and every week of delay can cost you up to £114.60 at the higher rate. The date depends on how you apply.
| How You Apply | Your Claim Starts |
|---|---|
| Online | The date you make your claim |
| Print the form and post it | The date the DWP receives it |
| Phone the helpline to ask for a form | The date of your call, if you return the form within 6 weeks |
Source: GOV.UK, Attendance Allowance: how to claim. The Attendance Allowance helpline is 0800 731 0122, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
What to do: as soon as your PIP has stopped and you still need help with personal care or supervision, start your Attendance Allowance claim (our guide on how to apply for Attendance Allowance walks through the form). Because you have been receiving help for some time, you may already have met the usual 6-month qualifying period. For a full guide on timescales, see our post on how long Attendance Allowance takes to process.
Living in Scotland?
Scotland has its own system. If you live in Scotland, you apply for Adult Disability Payment instead of PIP, and for Pension Age Disability Payment instead of Attendance Allowance. These are run by Social Security Scotland, not the DWP. This guide covers England and Wales.
Can You Get PIP and State Pension at the Same Time?
Yes. PIP and the State Pension are paid independently, and getting one does not stop the other. The State Pension itself is taxable, but PIP and Attendance Allowance are not, as we explain in our guide on whether Attendance Allowance is taxable.
If you move on to Attendance Allowance, it is also paid alongside your State Pension, and it can increase your Pension Credit if you qualify.
What You Should Do Right Now
Your situation decides your next step:
- Getting PIP and approaching pension age: do nothing. Your PIP continues
- Over pension age and never claimed PIP: apply for Attendance Allowance
- PIP stopped in the last 12 months: you can make a new PIP claim, or consider Attendance Allowance. Get advice first if you receive the mobility part
- PIP stopped more than 12 months ago: apply for Attendance Allowance, and do it promptly because your claim starts on the date you apply
- PIP review coming up: attend the review and keep a copy of everything you send
PIP ended or never claimed? Check Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance pays up to £114.60/week (£5,959/year), tax-free and not means-tested. Check your eligibility in 2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PIP stop when you reach pension age?
No. If you already get PIP when you reach State Pension age, it continues for as long as you meet the conditions. What you usually cannot do is make a new PIP claim after State Pension age, unless you had PIP (or Adult Disability Payment) in the last 12 months. Otherwise you would apply for Attendance Allowance.
Can you get PIP and State Pension at the same time?
Yes. PIP and the State Pension are paid independently. Getting one does not stop you getting the other.
What is the difference between PIP and Attendance Allowance?
PIP is for people under State Pension age and has a daily living part and a mobility part. Attendance Allowance is for people over State Pension age and covers help with personal care and supervision only, with no mobility part. The daily living rates are the same: £76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27.
Can I get PIP and Attendance Allowance together?
No. You cannot get Attendance Allowance while you are receiving PIP. If your PIP has ended and you still need help, you can apply for Attendance Allowance.
Do I automatically get Attendance Allowance when PIP ends?
No. There is no automatic transfer. You must make a separate application, and your claim starts on the date you apply, so do not leave it. Online claims start on the date you make the claim; posted forms start when the DWP receives them.
What happens to the PIP mobility part at pension age?
If you already get it, it continues while your PIP award is active. Attendance Allowance has no mobility part, so if your PIP ended and you moved to Attendance Allowance, you would no longer receive mobility support.