Adults in England receiving enhanced PIP for acne, writer’s cramp and factitious disorders

CORRECTION: The figure for anxiety and depression originally stated 114,211. This has been corrected to 110,075.

Embargoed: 22:30, Monday 30th June 2025

Ahead of a significant vote on proposals to slow the increasing size of the UK benefits bill, the TaxPayers’ Alliance have revealed that adults in England are receiving the enhanced mobility section of personal independence payments (PIP), for conditions including food intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, obesity, old age, acne, tourettes, writers’ cramp alcohol misuse and drug use.

A total of 1.75 million people in England received enhanced PIP in April 2025, up from 734,136 in January 2019. The largest increases in this period were for autism and anxiety and depression. But there were also significant increases in the number receiving the mobility section enhanced PIP for ADHD and non-specific back pain.

Recipients of this part of PIP are eligible to use their benefits to receive a free car through the motability scheme. Thirteen people receive enhanced PIP for factitious disorders. This includes munchausen syndrome which the NHS describes as a “psychological condition where someone pretends to be ill or deliberately produces symptoms of illness in themselves.”

The data comes from a new benefits dashboard released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance which provides a detailed breakdown by region, constituency, local authority and postcode of a variety of UK benefits. It also provides a breakdown by condition for enhanced PIP. The dashboard reveals that almost one in ten Brits receive personal independence payments in England and Wales, with Blaenau Gwent in Wales recording the highest number per 1,000 at 211.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL DASHBOARD.

Key findings:

• The total number of people receiving the mobility section of enhanced personal independence payments increased from 734,136 in January 2019 to 1,754,739 in April 2025. This is equal to a 139 per cent increase. 
• The largest increases in absolute terms between January 2019 and April 2025 were:
  • Autism - from 26,256 in January 2019 to 114,211 in April 2025.
  • Anxiety and depression - from 23,647 in January 2019 to 110,075 in April 2025.
  • Primary generalised osteoarthritis - from 35,798 in January 2019 to 82,875 in April 2025.
  • Fibromyalgia - from 23,197 in January 2019 to 69,425 in April 2025.
  • Learning disabilities - from 68,120 in January 2019 to 105,692 in April 2025.
  • ADHD - from 4,233 in January 2019 to 37,339 in April 2025
• Other individual examples:
  • Food intolerance - 31 people receive enhanced PIP for food intolerance in April 2025, up from 0 people in January 2019.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome - 923 people received enhanced PIP for irritable bowel syndrome in April 2025, up from 190 in January 2019. 
  • Obesity - 2,346 people received enhanced PIP for obesity in April 2025, up from 1,228 in January 2019
  • Old age - 14 people received enhanced PIP for old age in April 2025, up from 10 in January 2019.
  • Acne - 5 people received enhanced PIP for acne in April 2025, up from 0 in January 2019. 
  • Factitious disorders - 13 people received enhanced PIP for factitious disorders in April 2025, up from 11 in January 2019.
  • Tourettes - 857 people received enhanced PIP for tourettes in April 2025, up from 141 in January 2019.
  • Alcohol misuse - 5,817 people received enhanced PIP for alcohol misuse in April 2025, up from 1,443 in January 2019.
  • Drug misuse - 1,635 received enhanced PIP for drug misuse in April 2025, up from 277 in January 2019.
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder - 2,783 received enhanced PIP for obsessive compulsive disorder in April 2025, up from 562 in January 2019.
  • Writer’s cramp - 6 people received enhanced PIP for writer’s cramp in April 2025, up from 0 in January 2019.
  • Sleep apnea - 1,211 people received enhanced PIP for sleep apnea in April 2025, up from 193 in January 2019

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL DASHBOARD

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:

"It’s as clear as night follows day from our new benefits dashboard that the benefits system is being significantly abused.

“While England is a sicker country than it was before the pandemic, the size of the increases for many of these conditions surely cannot be believed by even the most gullible of MPs.

“Britain is in desperate need of a politician who has the courage to tackle this system head on to ensure that taxpayers’ money is being protected while those who genuinely need help receive it.”


TPA spokespeople are available for live and pre-recorded broadcast interviews via 07795 084 113 (no texts)

Media contact:

Elliot Keck
Head of Campaigns, TaxPayers' Alliance
[email protected]
24-hour media hotline: 07795 084 113 (no texts)

Notes to editors:

1. Founded in 2004 by Matthew Elliott and Andrew Allum, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) campaigns to reform taxes and public services, cut waste and speak up for British taxpayers. Find out more at www.taxpayersalliance.com.
   
   
2. TaxPayers' Alliance's research council.
   
   
3. The TPA’s benefits dashboard contains national, regional and local data for a range of benefits, including personal independence payments. It is currently in beta mode and can be found here. Feedback is welcome and should be submitted to Darwin Friend, head of research at the TaxPayers’ Alliance. He can be contacted at [email protected].