The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has officially confirmed a comprehensive list of 13 heart and blood pressure conditions that qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), providing up to £187 per week to eligible claimants. This announcement comes alongside the latest caseload statistics, which reveal that over 102,000 individuals are currently receiving PIP with a cardiovascular condition as their primary disabling condition.
Eligibility for PIP
To qualify for PIP, your condition must significantly impact your daily living activities or mobility. Notably, some individuals may become eligible even before receiving a formal diagnosis, as long as the condition affects their daily life. The benefit is not means-tested, meaning it does not depend on your income or savings, but a medical assessment is required.
Conditions Covered
The DWP data from January 2026 shows the following conditions and the number of claimants for each:
- Ischaemic heart disease (coronary heart disease) - 30,489 claimants
- Cardiac failure - 16,063 claimants
- Cardiac arrhythmias - 11,354 claimants
- Peripheral arterial disease - 6,675 claimants
- Hypertension - 5,921 claimants
- Congenital heart disease - 5,312 claimants
- Peripheral venous disease - 5,030 claimants
- Cardiomyopathy - 4,373 claimants
- Aneurysm - 3,572 claimants
- Valve disease - 3,342 claimants
- Heart transplantation - 310 claimants
- Pericarditis - 245 claimants
Additionally, 10,198 claimants reported having a cardiovascular disease that was not otherwise classified or was unknown at the time of application.
Support from the British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation emphasizes that finances can be an extra concern for those living with heart or circulatory conditions, especially during the cost of living crisis. They recommend exploring Universal Credit as a main benefit for those on low incomes, while PIP specifically helps cover the extra costs of long-term ill health or disability for individuals aged 16 to 64.
To claim PIP, you must have needed help with everyday tasks or getting around for at least three months and expect to continue needing help for nine months or more. The payment is not means-tested, but applicants must undergo a medical assessment to determine eligibility.
