Activity 3: Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition

Scores the help you need to manage medication and therapy, or monitor a health condition. Therapy time is calculated per week; supervision or prompting needs (not just taking a pill) trigger the highest scores.

All figures on this page are taken from Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (DWP, published April 2026) and the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Act 2025. Author: Oliver Wakefield-Smith. Last full review: 22 June 2026. Next scheduled review: April 2027 (post-uprating). See the full sources register.

Descriptors and points

A. Either does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided.
0 pts
B. Needs any one or more of the following: (i) to use an aid or appliance to manage medication; (ii) supervision, prompting or assistance to manage medication; (iii) supervision, prompting or assistance to monitor a health condition.
1 pt
C. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week.
2 pts
D. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to manage therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week.
4 pts
E. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week.
6 pts
F. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week.
8 pts

Worked example: Type 1 diabetes with hypoglycaemia awareness loss

Your partner monitors your blood sugar overnight because you no longer feel hypos. Descriptor b (supervision to monitor a health condition) applies, scoring 1 point.

Descriptor scored: B, 1 point.

Reliability test

Whatever descriptor you pick must apply to you safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time. If you can only manage the activity on a good day, the next-higher descriptor usually applies. This is the single most common reason claimants are under-scored on assessment.

Source

Descriptors and points are taken from Schedule 1 of the Social Security (PIP) Regulations 2013. Interpretation guidance is in the PIP assessment guide (DWP, Feb 2026).

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