Turn2us PIP Helper: Empowering Organisations to Better Support Their Communities

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can significantly improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities or long-term health conditions. Yet, the complexity of the application process and fear of rejection often discourage eligible individuals from applying. To tackle this issue head-on, Turn2us developed the Turn2us PIP Helper in close collaboration with Disabled people and health and disability charities, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness. It’s a robust, user-friendly digital tool designed to demystify the process and empower both individuals and organisations navigating PIP applications.

Since its launch, the Turn2us PIP Helper has been visited by over 350,000 people, with a quarter actively using its interactive features. Nearly 9,000 individuals have created personalised accounts to track their application progress and access tailored checklists.

The tool simplifies the application journey by:

• Clarifying user rights and entitlements under the PIP system.
• Estimating potential PIP awards based on personal circumstances.
• Providing personalised guidance on accurately completing complex application forms.
• Signposting additional mental health support, ensuring user wellbeing at every stage.

Organisations within the Association of Charitable Organisations (ACO) have particularly benefited from embedding the PIP Helper into their services. The tool addresses two key organisational needs:

• For organisations providing one-to-one advice: The PIP Helper enhances the quality and consistency of advice delivered by advisors. It reduces training requirements and allows frontline staff to confidently support clients through the PIP process.
• For organisations that do not provide direct one-to-one advice: Embedding or signposting the PIP Helper is an efficient way to offer significant practical support without needing specialist staff.

Numerous charitable partners, including Mind, Citizens Advice, Age UK and Christians Against Poverty, have successfully integrated the PIP Helper into their workflows, significantly extending their impact within diverse communities. For instance, Mind promotes the tool within peer-to-peer spaces such as Side by Side, while the “Help through Hardship” initiative uses it to provide immediate, practical support to helpline callers.

Feedback from partners highlights the value and ease of integration:

“Our service users often find PIP applications daunting, but Turn2us’s tool provides clear, accessible guidance that greatly reduces anxiety around the process. We confidently direct our community to the PIP Helper knowing they’ll receive accurate, empathetic support.” – Adrian Taylor, Cardiomyopathy UK

With the recent increase in demand driven by uncertainty around ongoing PIP reforms, Turn2us continues to support organisations through this period of heightened anxiety, ensuring they are equipped to effectively help the communities they serve. On the day of the government’s Green Paper announcements, visits to our PIP Helper doubled, increasing from around 850 daily users to over 1,700, clearly demonstrating the heightened anxiety and uncertainty experienced by many people affected by these proposed changes.

To explore embedding the PIP Helper into your organisation’s support system or to participate in our targeted e-learning sessions for ACO members, please reach out directly at turn2uspiphelper@turn2us.org.uk. Together, we can ensure more individuals receive the support they deserve, at exactly the right time.