By James Rodger

Copyright birminghammail

A staggering number of UK households who are struggling with anxiety are being handed a Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) disability benefit. The DWP is handing Personal Independence Payment, or PIP, to anxiety sufferers, new figures show. 633,000 are claiming for both anxiety and mood disorders. The Centre for Social Justice said 44,000 people, almost 250 a day, have been awarded PIP payments for anxiety since Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister in July 2024. The CSJ’s Ben Gregg insisted: “Abandoning young people to sickness benefits only increases the isolation feeding their struggles. It is neither kind nor helpful. READ MORE UK national speed limit could be slashed in ‘half’ with all drivers warned “The Government can and should redirect funding to tackling the root causes of mental ill-health.” Shevaun Haviland, boss of the BCC, said: “Sickness absenteeism is a growing concern. “The UK has more than nine million people who aren’t working with one third of them suffering from long-term health conditions. “This is a devastating loss of potential – for these individuals, the businesses that need them and our local economies.” A Government spokesman said: “We are shifting our focus away from welfare and on to work, skills and opportunities — especially for younger people.” The best way to decide whether you might be eligible for PIP is to look through this list of PIP activities and think about the ways that your condition affects your ability to carry them out. You are awarded points according to the level of difficulty you have with each of these activities, with sufficient points leading to an award of PIP. Benefits and Work advised: “If you are at risk of experiencing a panic attack whilst cooking, you may need supervision and someone to take over the task if you are unable to continue. “You may have a poor appetite as a result of anxiety and need someone to prompt you to start eating or to finish your meal. “You may have medication related to your anxiety that you do not remember to take unless you are prompted by someone else or by an alarm on your phone. “You might wash or bathe but not to an acceptable standard because, for example, you are distracted by intrusive thoughts or feel restless. “If you have joint pains or pins and needles in your hands as a result of anxiety, you may benefit from an aid to help you dress. For example, you may need a button hook, front-fastening bra or shoehorn. “You may be able to read and understand information but take more than twice as long to do so as someone who does not have anxiety because you have difficulties with your concentration. “Anxiety about social situations may lead to you avoiding them unless you are prompted by another person to engage. “Anxiety about possible dangers or problems when outdoors could make you reluctant to leave the house without someone prompting or encouraging you. You could score points for this, even if you do then manage to complete the journey alone.”