Personal Independence Payment (PIP) / Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people aged 16-65 (when they first claim) who have difficulties with day-to-day life due to a long-term health condition or disability. 

PIP is paid to claimants in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you will need to claim Adult Disability Payment, which is very similar to PIP.

PIP is not means-tested, and you can receive it whether you work or not. PIP is designed to help claimants meet some of the extra costs that come with having a disability or long-term condition like myasthenia.

PIP has two components:

• Daily living
• Mobility

These components can each be paid at either a standard rate or an enhanced rate.

The amount of PIP you get is based on the extent to which your illness or disability affects your ability to carry out everyday activities and go on journeys.

England and Wales: More information about PIP and how to claim

Northern Ireland: More information about PIP and how to claim

Scotland: More information about ADP and how to claim

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Child Disability Payment (CDP)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit for children up to the age of 16 who have additional care needs or mobility difficulties because of a disability or illness like myasthenia. A child can qualify for DLA if they require frequent attention or supervision for an hour or more during the day and/or night because of their disability or illness. 

You can claim DLA for a child if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you will need to claim Child Disability Payment, which is very similar to DLA.

DLA used to be paid to adults as well as children, but since 2017, most adults claiming DLA have been invited to claim PIP or ADP instead. 

DLA has two components:

• Care – paid at a low, middle or high rate
• Mobility – paid at a low or high rate

A child must be at least 3 years old to qualify for the mobility component.  The care component has no lower age limit.  The care or mobility difficulties a child has must be significantly greater than those of other children of the same age who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.

England and Wales: Information about DLA and how to claim.

Northern Ireland: Information about DLA and how to claim

Scotland: Information about CDP and how to claim

Attendance Allowance / Pension Age Disability Payment

Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit for people over pension age who have difficulties with day-to-day activities due to a disability or long-term health condition such as myasthenia.   

You can claim Attendance Allowance if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you will need to claim Pension Age Disability Payment instead. This is very similar to Attendance Allowance.

Attendance Allowance only has a care component – it does not have a mobility component. It can be paid at either a low or a high rate.

Eligibility for Attendance Allowance is based on the amount of attention or supervision you need day-to-day because of your disability or long-term illness and whether these needs are during the day, at night, or both.

England and Wales: Information about Attendance Allowance and how to claim.

Northern Ireland: Information about Attendance Allowance and how to claim

Scotland: Information about Pension Age Disability Payment and how to claim

Carer's Allowance

You may be eligible for Carer's Allowance if:

• You spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone with a disability or long-term health condition
• The person you care for is in receipt of the daily living component of PIP/ADP, the middle or high rate of the care component of DLA/CDP or either rate of AA or Pension Age Disability Payment
• Your earnings or certain benefits are below a certain weekly amount

You can claim Carer’s Allowance if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you will need to claim Carer Support Payment instead. This is very similar to Carer’s Allowance.

Important! Before claiming, check whether the person you care for receives a Severe Disability Premium (SDP) in their benefits. If they do, claiming Carer’s Allowance will cause them to lose their SDP.

England and Wales: Get more information about Carer’s Allowance and how to claim.

Northern Ireland: Get more information about Carer’s Allowance and how to claim

Scotland: Get more information about Carer Support Payment and how to claim

Note: If your income from your pension or certain benefits is too much to be able to claim Carer’s Allowance, you may still be eligible for a carer element, premium or addition on your other benefits.

New-style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

New-style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is an “earnings-replacement” benefit for people who have an illness or disability that affects their ability to work. If you wish to apply for ESA, your sick pay must have run out, and you must have paid enough National Insurance Contributions during the past 2 tax years.

You must have a Work Capability Assessment while your ESA claim is being assessed. If you are entitled to ESA, you will be placed in one of two groups:

Work-related activity group. You will be placed in this group if DWP believes that you are unable to work at the moment but could do some work preparation to move you closer to being able to work.

Support group. You will be placed in this group if DWP decides that you are unable to do any work or work-related activity and you will not be expected to do any work preparation or look for jobs. If you are placed in this group, you will receive an additional amount of money in your ESA.

Note: If you have not paid enough National Insurance Contributions to receive ESA, you may be eligible to claim Universal Credit instead, which has the same Work Capability Assessment process and groups.

England, Scotland and Wales: Get more information about ESA and how to claim.

Northern Ireland: Get more information about ESA and how to claim.

Medical Exemption Certificate

If you have a myasthenia diagnosis, you should be entitled to free prescriptions. You can ask your GP to give you an application form. Once completed, you should receive your certificate within 10 working days.

If you don't have a valid certificate and you tick the medical exemption box on the prescription, you could face a fine of up to £100.

The NHS says that it is your responsibility to renew your certificate, even if you don't receive a reminder.

If your certificate is invalid or you are waiting to apply, please keep all your prescription receipts as you may be able to reclaim them.

More information about the medical exemption certificate.

Benefit checks

Many people in the UK are not aware of benefits they are entitled to and are not claiming their full entitlement. To check that you’re receiving everything you could be, please follow these links:

Entitled to benefit checker

Turn2us benefit checker

If you would like more information about any of these benefits, help with a benefit check or you’ve received a benefits decision you don’t agree with, please contact myaware on 01332 290 219 or email