PIP reading and understanding signs: how to describe your difficulties
A calm, practical guide to the PIP reading and understanding activity (Question 10 on the PIP2 form). Understand what the DWP means by reading signs, symbols, and words, how to describe your difficulties, and see example notes. This is reference-only and not legal, medical, or benefits advice.
What this activity covers
Activity 8 on the PIP assessment covers your ability to read and understand written or printed information. This includes reading signs, symbols, dates, and standard-size printed text. It covers both basic and complex written information.
Basic written information means signs, symbols, and dates in standard-size print. Examples include an exit sign, a road sign, a date on a letter, or a warning notice like “Park closes at 5.30pm.” Complex written information means more than one sentence of standard-size text, for example a letter from your GP, instructions on a medicine packet, or a benefits letter.
Ordinary glasses and contact lenses do not count as aids for this activity. If you wear glasses and can read with them, you are considered to be reading unaided. However, any other visual aid (such as a magnifying glass, screen reader, or large-print settings) does count. Your inability to read must be linked to a health condition. If you cannot read purely because you were never taught, that does not score points.
The ability to remember and retain what you have read is not part of this activity. This is about understanding the information at the moment you read it.
How the DWP scores this activity
You are matched to the one descriptor that applies for more than half of the time.
| Descriptor | Points |
|---|---|
| Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using spectacles or contact lenses | 0 |
| Needs to use an aid or appliance, other than spectacles or contact lenses, to read or understand either basic or complex written information | 2 |
| Needs prompting to read or understand complex written information | 2 |
| Needs prompting to read or understand basic written information | 4 |
| Cannot read or understand signs, symbols, or words at all | 8 |
Writing your notes for this activity
Examples: describing reading difficulties
Below are examples of how you might describe your difficulties with this activity. These are for illustration only and should not be copied into your own form. Always describe your own experience.
“Even with my glasses I cannot read standard-size print. I use a magnifying glass for short things like medicine labels but I cannot read a full letter with it. I have the text size on my phone set to the maximum and use the zoom function for everything. I cannot read signs in shops unless I am standing very close. My daughter reads all my post and explains what the letters say. I cannot read bus timetables or information screens at all.”
“I can read simple words like my name and some common words but I cannot read a sentence and understand what it means. I cannot read letters from the council or the DWP. My support worker reads them and explains what they mean in simple language. I recognise some signs like exit signs and toilet signs but I cannot read a notice on a door or instructions on a packet. I use pictures on my phone to help me recognise things instead of reading the words.”
“I cannot concentrate long enough to read anything more than a few words. When I try to read a letter the words blur together and I lose track of what I am reading after the first line. I do not open official post because it makes me extremely anxious. My partner opens all my letters and tells me what they say. Without that I would miss important things like appointments and benefit renewals. On bad days I cannot even read a text message properly.”
“Since my brain injury I can read individual words but I cannot put them together to understand a sentence. I have to read things several times and I still do not always understand what they mean. I need my wife to read through anything important and explain it to me. I use a screen reader on my computer which reads things aloud, and I understand spoken information better than written information. Even with the screen reader I need complex things explained in simpler terms.”
Using GuidedPIPs
GuidedPIPs walks you through the reading and understanding activity with guided prompts tailored to your conditions. It helps you describe your difficulties step by step, so you do not have to figure out the structure on your own.
You can start for free and decide whether full access is right for you.