Helping staff on PIP: Key employer responsibilities

Supporting employees receiving PIP? Our guide covers everything that employers need to know about making fair and reasonable adjustments at work.

Recent legislative changes and growing awareness of disability inclusion mean more businesses are reviewing how they support employees who receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

If your business employs someone in receipt of PIP - or if an existing employee has recently applied - you may have questions about your responsibilities. This article explores reasonable adjustments, how to maintain good practice, and ways in which you can support colleagues fairly and confidently.

1: What is PIP, and why might employees receive it?

Personal Independence Payment is a benefit to help people aged 16+ to manage extra living costs related to a long-term health condition or disability. An employee may be awarded PIP for a wide range of reasons, including:

• Physical health conditions (e.g., musculoskeletal issues, chronic pain, mobility challenges)
• Mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD)
• Learning disabilities or neurodiversity
• Progressive conditions (e.g., multiple sclerosis)

Receiving PIP itself doesn’t automatically trigger specific legal duties. However, many conditions linked to PIP meet the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability. That means you are required to consider reasonable adjustments to prevent your employee being put at a disadvantage compared to non-disabled colleagues.

2: What counts as a reasonable adjustment?

Reasonable adjustments are changes to remove or reduce disadvantages. What’s “reasonable” depends on the size of your organisation, resources, and the practicality of the adjustment.

Some examples you might consider:

Physical Adjustments

• Providing specialist equipment (ergonomic chairs, adapted keyboards)
• Adjusting workstations for better accessibility
• Installing ramps or automatic doors

Flexible Working

• Modifying start and finish times
• Allowing home working some or all of the time
• Offering part-time hours during flare-ups

Role Adjustments

• Reallocating certain duties that cause difficulty
• Providing a colleague to assist in specific tasks

Supportive Measures

• Extra training or mentoring
• Regular wellbeing check-ins
• Clear, accessible communication
  
  

3: Recent changes: What should employers be aware of?

Over the past year, legislative and policy changes, including updates to the Work Capability Assessment and discussions about PIP reform, have increased anxiety among some employees about how benefits interact with work.

Many employees worry that:

• Disclosing a disability or health condition will negatively affect their benefits
• Accepting adjustments or part-time hours could jeopardise PIP entitlement
• Changes in legislation will remove their support altogether

As an employer, it’s important to:

• Communicate sensitively: Reassure staff that PIP is assessed independently of the workplace, and that your priority is supporting their health and wellbeing.
• Provide clear information: Signpost to independent welfare rights advice if employees are concerned.
• Maintain confidentiality: Disability and health information must be kept secure and only shared when necessary.
• Stay updated: UKIM’s Occupational Health specialists can help you interpret new guidance and adapt policies accordingly.

4: Supporting current staff who may be affected

If you have team members already in receipt of PIP, you can:

Review existing adjustments: Are they still fit for purpose? Could additional flexibility help?

Hold regular wellbeing conversations: A private, supportive discussion can surface issues early before they impact attendance or performance.

Train managers: Make sure line managers understand their legal duties and know how to respond appropriately if an employee discloses a health condition.

Update your policies: Reflect any changes in the law and clearly explain your process for requesting adjustments.

5: How UKIM can help 

At UKIM Occupational Health & Wellbeing, we specialise in helping organisations:

• Assess individual needs through clear, evidence-based Occupational Health reports
• Identify reasonable adjustments tailored to your business and the employee’s role
• Develop disability-confident policies and training for managers and HR teams
• Provide independent medical advice to support decision-making and reduce risk

Whether you’re employing someone new who receives PIP or reviewing support for existing staff, our clinicians can help you navigate the process sensitively, legally, and with confidence.