Hi, my name is Chris! PIP review

chrism24

I was just looking to get some advice I originally got awarded pip 3 years ago. I was awarded standard daily living and enhanced mobility. I’ve just had my review and I’ve now been awarded enhanced daily living but only standard mobility. On the mobility I scored 10 points, this is down from the original 12 as I said on my review that I do sometimes go for a drive on my own as I have a mobility vehicle now, which can sometimes help me calm down also. The removal of enhanced mobility would mean removal of the car, which would then put me back to my original situation of 3 years ago.

So I am thinking of applying for a mandatory reconsideration. Does anyone have any advice or opinions please?

poppy123456

Are you claiming because of physical or mental health conditions? 

Where exactly did you score the points for the mobility part? 

chrism24

I am claiming based on mainly mental health. There are some physical conditions on their own and some that are connected to the mental health aspect (brought on IBS and physical anxiety actions). 

I originally scored 12 points on my claim 3 years ago as I wouldn’t leave the house and when I rarely did it wouldn’t be without someone. I scored 10 points this time as I’ve said I would go for a drive by myself. I do this sometimes to break up the intrusive thoughts I sometimes get but driving out somewhere quiet and alone can help. Or I would drive to my partners again for a similar reason, the other 99% if the time she’d come to me. 

So I’ve scored in this bracket:
”You can’t leave the house because it makes you so distressed that you can’t do anything. You can’t travel to a new place without someone else, a guide dog or a special aid to help you.”

The 12 point bracket would be: 
“You can’t travel to a place you know without someone else, a guide dog or a special aid to help you.“

I was in the 12 point bracket as I didn’t have a car. I got a car through mobility which now changed it. So it’s a bit of a confusing one. As without the car I’d go back to being in the same situation as when I scored 12.

Thanks and sorry for the long reply.

poppy123456

Based on the information you gave you will not score any points for the moving around part of mobility.

chrism24 said:

So I’ve scored in this bracket:
”You can’t leave the house because it makes you so distressed that you can’t do anything. You can’t travel to a new place without someone else, a guide dog or a special aid to help you.”

I'm a little confused by this because what you've wrote here suggests 2 descriptors. The 2 descriptors in question are here.

1D. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog ororientation aid. 10 points

1E Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 10 points.

Can you please confirm which one you scored the points for?

chrism24

So under my mobility section from
the report, they scored 10 points in the planning and following a journey section. With the comments “you cannot undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress”. I hope this helps.
Thanks again

poppy123456

Thanks, that's what i thought you meant. If you're unable to go out the majority of days then this descriptor is correct. Therefore my question is how often are you able to go out? When you do go out, is it during the day or night?

To be honest, when you were awarded last time you said this..

chrism24 said:

I originally scored 12 points on my claim 3 years ago as I wouldn’t leave the house and when I rarely did it wouldn’t be without someone.

In my opinion, you scored points for the incorrect descriptor and based on this you should have scored points for 1E and not 1F.

A claimant who satisifies 1E can not also satisfy 1F. If they cannot undertake a single journey on the majority of days due to overwhelming psychological distress, then 1E will be the applicable descriptor, even if there are occasions when they could follow a familiar route, if accompanied.

chrism24

Thanks for the reply again. 

So I rarely leave the house maybe once/twice a month if that. As I said I only over do it if there’s a trigger where I believe I might cause harm to myself.

However I think my confusion has come from the fact before I had a car, I wouldn’t leave the house alone at all. Which is why I got the descriptor 1F before. I have potentially moved to 1E now because of the fact I have access to a car (through enhanced mobility), however now the I would have that taken away I would revert to not being able to leave the house unaided or not leaving at all. 

So I feel like they scored me potentially correct but it’s based on the fact I have enhanced mobility. By them taking it away I would then revert to 1F score?

poppy123456

Going out a once or twice a month is not the majority of the days. This means that the majority of the days you're unable to leave the house, which means 1E is the correct descriptor.

Having a car will not make any difference to the descriptor that will apply here because you're still unable to leave the house the majority of the days.

This includes the award you had the last time, if you were unable to go out the majority of the days. Therefore scoring 12 points was incorrect.

Please take note of my advice here.

poppy123456 said:

A claimant who satisifies 1E can not also satisfy 1F. If they cannot undertake a single journey on the majority of days due to overwhelming psychological distress, then 1E will be the applicable descriptor, even if there are occasions when they could follow a familiar route, if accompanied.

You can see the PIP assessment guide here, where i copied and pasted the above part from.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria#mobility-activities

chrism24

Thanks again and definitely taking note of what you’ve sent. Upon reading the link I guess my confusion comes in where you draw the line in if you fall into 1E or 1F. As upon reading the link you’ve sent I could meet both 1e and 1f. Except 1e seems to be if you can go out the majority of days on a familiar route? it is far from the majority of days (once or twice a month if that) and if an an issue arises on a familiar route (let’s say a diversion as this was used in my assessment) I informed them this would make me instantly turn back and go home. 

I understand mental health is a complicated and tricky thing in itself. 

chrism24

One of the confusing parts in particular is the following “A claimant who suffers overwhelming psychological distress whilst on the familiar journey and who needs to be accompanied to overcome the overwhelming psychological distress may satisfy descriptor 1F”

poppy123456

chrism24 said:

 1e seems to be if you can go out the majority of days on a familiar route?

You have misunderstood what 1E is. For 1E it's "can't under take any journey the majority of the days." It has nothing to do with a familiar journey.

1F can't apply where 1E does and 1E applies to you.