PIP for Hearing Loss and Sight Loss: Can You Claim?
You can claim PIP for a hearing or visual impairment, including deafness, partial hearing loss, blindness and partial sight. As with every condition, PIP is not awarded for the diagnosis; it depends on how your sensory impairment affects everyday activities such as communicating, reading, following a journey and moving around safely.
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A Citizens Advice appointment can take weeks. Our free assistant is available 24/7 with no appointment, giving you clear, step-by-step answers about your exact situation, what to do next, and the deadlines that matter.
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England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
How hearing loss affects the PIP activities
- ✓Communicating verbally, needing communication support, lip-reading, a hearing loop or a British Sign Language interpreter to understand or be understood
- ✓Engaging with other people, difficulty following conversations, especially in groups or noisy places, leading to isolation or anxiety
- ✓Planning and following a journey, not hearing announcements, alarms or traffic, affecting safety when travelling
- ✓Reading, relevant where literacy is affected, for example for some people who are deaf from birth
How sight loss affects the PIP activities
- ✓Reading, needing aids, magnification, braille or someone to read for you
- ✓Moving around, how far you can walk safely without help because of your vision
- ✓Planning and following a journey, needing a guide, assistance dog or another person to navigate unfamiliar (or even familiar) routes safely
- ✓Preparing food, washing and dressing, difficulty doing these safely and reliably without help
Reliability and the right evidence
For each activity you must be able to manage safely, reliably, repeatedly and in a reasonable time. Helpful evidence includes:
- ✓Audiology reports and hearing test results, or your ophthalmologist's reports and visual acuity / field results
- ✓Your Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) if you are registered sight impaired or severely sight impaired
- ✓Details of aids and support you rely on, hearing aids, cochlear implant, BSL interpreter, guide dog, white cane, screen reader
- ✓A description of how your impairment affects each activity, including in unfamiliar places
Rates and next steps
If you qualify you receive the standard or enhanced rate of each component based on your points. See the PIP rates 2026/27, the points and descriptors, and, if you are refused, our PIP appeal guide. PIP rules are unchanged in 2026; see PIP changes 2026.
Get instant help right now
A Citizens Advice appointment can take weeks. Our free assistant is available 24/7 with no appointment, giving you clear, step-by-step answers about your exact situation, what to do next, and the deadlines that matter.
Need to take action? It can draft a ready-to-send formal letter for you (optional, from £4.99).
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get PIP for hearing loss or deafness?
Yes. You can claim PIP if hearing loss or deafness affects activities such as communicating with others, engaging socially, or following a journey safely. Profound deafness, particularly where you need a British Sign Language interpreter or other communication support, can score highly. It depends on the impact, not the diagnosis.
Can you get PIP for sight loss or blindness?
Yes. Sight loss can affect both the daily living and mobility components, for example reading, moving around safely, and planning and following a journey. Severe sight impairment, especially where you need a guide, assistance dog or another person to get around, can lead to an award. Provide your Certificate of Vision Impairment if you have one.
What evidence helps a PIP claim for a sensory impairment?
Audiology or ophthalmology reports, hearing or visual acuity test results, a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) if registered, details of aids you rely on (hearing aids, cochlear implant, BSL interpreter, guide dog, white cane), and a clear description of how the impairment affects each activity, including in unfamiliar places.
Do hearing aids or glasses affect my PIP assessment?
The assessment considers what you can do using aids you can reasonably use, but it also recognises where you still need help from another person despite them. Be specific about what you cannot do safely or reliably even with your aids.
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