# PIP at 16 — moving from DLA (or Child Disability Payment) to PIP > Benefits & tax · Last updated 22 August 2026 Canonical HTML: https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/pip-at-16-dla-to-pip/ Markdown mirror: https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/pip-at-16-dla-to-pip.md ## Quick answer If a child in England, Wales or Northern Ireland gets Disability Living Allowance, they must claim Personal Independence Payment when they turn 16. DWP sends an invitation shortly after the 16th birthday. Start the PIP claim by the date on that letter or DLA stops. Scotland uses Child Disability Payment then Adult Disability Payment — do not start an England PIP claim from Scotland. ## Who should skip this Skip this if the young person is already on PIP, is under 16 (stay on DLA or Child Disability Payment), or has reached State Pension age. Do not retarget the child-autism benefits guide — this page is the age-16 money process. This is not a DWP form. PIP is a different points test from DLA. An invitation is not a rubber stamp of the old rate. Child stack for autistic under-16s stays at [benefits for autistic children](/benefits-tax/benefits-for-autistic-children-uk/). Adult rates and descriptors: [PIP explained](/benefits-tax/personal-independence-payment/). Official: https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children/when-your-child-turns-16 ## Key facts - DWP writes shortly after the 16th birthday (or about 20 weeks before a special-rules DLA award ends) - Start PIP by the date in the letter — DLA then continues until the PIP decision - Miss the date and DLA stops; DWP usually gives a second 28-day window - PIP daily living and mobility 2026/27: £76.70 / £114.60 and £30.30 / £80 — not a copy of the old DLA care and mobility rates - Scotland: Child Disability Payment then Adult Disability Payment via Social Security Scotland, not PIP ## What letters should we expect? Contact and DWP guidance describe a warning letter around 15 years 7 months and a reminder around 15 years 10 months, then the invitation to the young person (or their appointee) after the 16th birthday. If they were in hospital on their birthday, the invitation waits until they leave. Special-rules awards are invited about 20 weeks before DLA is due to end. Change the DLA account to the young person’s own bank account at 16 unless you are appointed to act. If they cannot manage benefits, apply to be a DWP appointee before the PIP claim — that is not the same as a Court of Protection deputyship. Appointee: https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee ## How do we claim PIP at 16? Use the number on the invitation, or 0800 917 2222. That start date is the claim date. Complete ‘How your disability affects you’ and attend an assessment if invited. Write what they cannot do safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard and in a reasonable time on most days — school, college, work experience and independent travel all count. A DLA middle-rate care award does not guarantee standard daily living. Motability, Blue Badge and Carer's Allowance can pause if the PIP decision is lower or late. Keep copies. Step-by-step: [how to claim PIP at 16](/how-to/claim-pip-at-16/). Adult walkthrough: [how to claim PIP](/how-to/claim-pip/). ## Scotland, autism and what else changes In Scotland, do not phone the PIP line. Child Disability Payment continues until Social Security Scotland invites Adult Disability Payment. Guide: [Child Disability Payment](/benefits-tax/child-disability-payment-explained/) and [Adult Disability Payment](/regional/scotland-adult-disability-payment/). Autistic young people still need timed examples, not the diagnosis name. Parent-written adulthood and teenage guides: [autistic adulthood](https://autismparentguide.org/autism/adulthood) and [parenting an autistic teenager](https://autismparentguide.org/daily-life/teenagers). Money map: [financial support](https://autismparentguide.org/daily-life/financial-support). Autism Parent Guide is independent information, not HM Government. ## Frequently asked questions ### Will we keep the same amount as DLA? Not automatically. PIP uses different activities and points. Some awards go up, some go down, some are refused. Mandatory reconsideration is the next step if the decision is wrong. ### What happens to Carer's Allowance? The carer usually needs the young person to keep a qualifying disability benefit. A gap between DLA and PIP can stop Carer's Allowance and extra Universal Credit. Start the PIP claim on time. ### Can a parent still be the appointee at 16? Only if the young person cannot manage the claim. DWP decides. Deputyship is a separate Court of Protection process for money and welfare, not for PIP itself. ## Primary source https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children/when-your-child-turns-16 ## Related - [PIP explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/personal-independence-payment/) - [How to claim PIP at 16](https://moneyguide.org.uk/how-to/claim-pip-at-16/) - [DLA for children](https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/dla-for-children-explained/) - [Benefits for autistic children (under 16)](https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/benefits-for-autistic-children-uk/) - [Child Disability Payment](https://moneyguide.org.uk/benefits-tax/child-disability-payment-explained/) - [What happens to DLA at 16?](https://moneyguide.org.uk/answers/what-happens-to-dla-at-16/) --- Independent UK money guidance from [Money Guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk). Information only — not regulated financial advice.