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© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
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© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
9 min read
Written by
Georgina, Founder of Purpl
Published on
August 7, 2026
Last reviewed: 7 August 2026
Applies to: England and Wales, with separate benefit systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Written by: Georgina, Founder of Purpl
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is restarting the transfer of around 153,000 remaining adult Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants in England and Wales to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), beginning with a test sample of 3,000 random cases in September 2026. Invited claimants have 28 days to apply for PIP or risk losing their benefit entitlement.
The DWP is restarting the managed transfer of remaining adult Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in England and Wales, beginning with a test rollout of 3,000 randomly selected cases in September 2026.
Personal Independence Payment was introduced in April 2013 to replace DLA for working-age adults. The DWP have announced that DLA is ending for working-age adults born after 8 April 1948, even if they hold an indefinite or lifetime award.
While most working-age claimants moved years ago, the DWP paused forced transfers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This September restart represents the final phase of migrating remaining long-term DLA recipients across to the PIP assessment system.
You will be affected by the DLA to PIP restart if you live in England or Wales, currently receive adult DLA, were born after 8 April 1948, and were aged between 16 and 64 on 8 April 2013.
Reporting by Benefits and Work confirms that approximately 153,000 claimants fit this description. The DWP will select an initial 3,000 cases at random by postcode from September 2026 to test operational capacity before rolling out transfers to the remaining cohort. Claimants do not need to take action until an official DWP migration letter arrives in the post.
You are not affected by this DWP transfer process if you were born on or before 8 April 1948, are a child under 16, or live in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Official GOV.UK rules state that claimants born on or before 8 April 1948 will continue to receive DLA indefinitely. Children under 16 also remain on DLA until they approach their 16th birthday. In Scotland, all existing DLA claims have already transferred to Social Security Scotland under Adult Disability Payment or Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance. In Northern Ireland, benefit transfers are managed separately by the Department for Communities.
When your official DWP invitation letter arrives, you must respond within 28 days to start a PIP claim, as failing to respond will result in your DLA payments being terminated.
The migration letter is not optional. It specifies that your DLA award is ending and provides instructions on how to initiate your PIP application. GOV.UK confirms that claimants cannot choose to stay on DLA once invited. Ignoring this letter will cause your DLA payments to stop, which can also disrupt linked benefits such as Motability, Carer’s Allowance, and local council tax discounts.
Purpl Tip: Open every piece of DWP post immediately. If you struggle with reading or managing paperwork due to health conditions, nominate a trusted family member, carer, or appointee to help check your mail regularly.
Restarting DLA reassessments creates severe anxiety for long-term claimants who have held lifetime awards for decades and now face complex, score-based reassessments during a cost of living crisis.
Many of the 153,000 remaining DLA recipients have severe, chronic, or degenerative conditions and have held lifetime or indefinite awards without reassessment for over ten years. The prospect of filling in lengthy PIP2 forms and attending face-to-face or telephone assessments can feel overwhelming.
Findings from the independent Timms Review of PIP noted that many disabled people describe the PIP application process as “dehumanising” and “overly complex”, particularly for fluctuating or hidden health conditions.
PIP differs from DLA because it assesses how your health condition impacts specific daily living and mobility activities using a point-scoring descriptor system, rather than focusing on general care needs and walking distances.
While both benefits are non-means-tested and tax-free, GOV.UK highlights that PIP awards are based strictly on ability to complete 12 defined activities safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, and in a reasonable time.
Historical DLA reassessment figures show that when claimants moved to PIP:
If you receive a PIP invitation letter, read it immediately, note your 28-day deadline, contact the DWP to start your claim, and request independent welfare advice or reasonable adjustments right away.
Follow these key steps to safeguard your claim:
You should gather recent medical and supporting evidence that demonstrates how your condition affects your daily living and mobility, such as GP summaries, consultant letters, occupational therapy reports, and symptom diaries.
Because original DLA records may be decades old, updated evidence is essential. High-value supporting evidence includes:
Purpl Insight: When completing PIP forms, never describe your best day. Explain the reality of most days, detailing pain, fatigue, time taken, and the safety risks of completing tasks without assistance.
You should not apply for PIP before receiving an official DWP invitation letter unless you need to report a clear change in how your health condition affects you.
GOV.UK guidance explicitly advises claimants to wait for their official migration letter. Making a voluntary PIP claim early forces you into the reassessment pipeline prematurely, exposing your current DLA award to risk sooner than necessary without benefit. Always seek accredited welfare advice before voluntarily initiating a transfer.
Your DLA payments will continue as normal until at least 28 days after the DWP reaches a formal decision on your new PIP application.
According to GOV.UK rules, starting a PIP claim following an invitation letter will not instantly stop your DLA. Your existing DLA payments remain active throughout the assessment period and run for four weeks after a decision is made. However, if you fail to return the PIP2 form or miss an assessment appointment without good cause, your DLA will be suspended or terminated immediately.
Linked benefits like Motability, Carer’s Allowance, and Blue Badges will continue during reassessment, but they may change or end if your new PIP award rate is lower than your previous DLA award.
Many “passported” disability supports rely on specific award rates:
If your PIP award changes, notify linked benefit providers immediately to avoid overpayments.
Founder insight from Georgina: “Receiving a DWP letter telling you that a benefit you’ve relied on for years is ending is terrifying. When you live with Multiple Sclerosis and ADHD, the mental fatigue of filling out 40-page forms and proving your disability all over again is draining. But remember: you do not have to do this alone. Reach out to local welfare advisers, gather clear evidence from your doctors, and give yourself permission to ask for help.”
Purpl supports disabled people during benefit reassessments by providing access to verified everyday savings on groceries, household bills, and health equipment to soften financial stress.
Navigating benefit reassessments can cause immense financial anxiety. While Purpl cannot alter DWP timelines, our platform helps disabled individuals, carers, and families soften the disability price tag. For £1 a month, members unlock verified discounts across core categories:
Purpl also reinvests 20% of eligible media revenue directly into the Purpl Community Grant Fund, offering financial grants to support members with disability costs.
Yes. The DWP is restarting managed transfers for 153,000 remaining adult DLA claimants in England and Wales, beginning with a random test sample of 3,000 cases in September 2026.
The restart affects adults in England and Wales who currently receive DLA, were born after 8 April 1948, and were aged between 16 and 64 on 8 April 2013.
Yes. GOV.UK rules state that working-age adults born after 8 April 1948 must transfer to PIP when invited, even if they hold lifetime or indefinite DLA awards.
Claimants born on or before 8 April 1948 will remain on DLA. Children under 16 also remain on Child DLA in England and Wales.
You have 28 days from the date printed on your DWP invitation letter to contact the DWP and start your PIP claim.
If you ignore the letter, your DLA entitlement will be terminated, and your payments will stop.
No. GOV.UK advises claimants to wait until they receive an official DWP invitation letter before applying, unless reporting a relevant change of circumstances.
No. PIP uses a point-based descriptor system focused on specific daily living and mobility activities, whereas DLA used broader care and walking criteria.
No. Your DLA payments will continue throughout the assessment process and for 28 days after the DWP issues a formal PIP decision.
No. Existing DLA claims in Scotland have already transferred to Social Security Scotland, while Northern Ireland manages transfers separately through the Department for Communities.
Georgina is the Founder of Purpl, a UK money-saving platform created for disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, carers, and families. Living with Multiple Sclerosis and ADHD, and using an ambulatory wheelchair, Georgina combines lived experience with practical advice to help the disabled community navigate complex systems, protect their rights, and beat the disability price tag.
Step-by-step guide to the PIP assessment: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/step-by-step-guide-pip-assessment
PIP points calculator: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/pip-points-calculator
PIP rejected: what to do next: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/blog/pip-rejected-what-to-do-next-uk
UK Disability Benefits and Support Handbook: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/uk-disability-benefits
Household essentials disability discounts: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/household-essentials-disability-discounts
Disability aids discounts: https://www.purpldiscounts.com/category/disability-aids