p.i.p going outside and agoroophobia

pete33

Hi i read on an article that people on pip are due backpayments if they have agoraphobia and find it hard making a journey, I have a long term mental health condition was just wondering is it worth claiming, I am on both the lower rates of p.i.p.

chiarieds

Hi @pete33 - & welcome to the community. I think what you're referring to doesn't specifically mention agoraphobia, rather 'overwhelming psychological distress.' There's been a change in law about 'planning & following a journey,' which may affect PIP claimants if they have had a decision on or after 28 Nov 2016. It seems the DWP say they will be contacting those claimants they feel may have been affected by this change of law; not everyone would be due a backpayment. You can read about it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-changes/overwhelming-psychological-distress-and-journeys-changes-to-pip-law-from-28-november-2016

pete33

thank you so much @chiarieds all I know is I scored 10 and it said on my claim would cause overwhelming psycological distress, I got put on lower for getting around does this change anything? am I entitled to higher mobility

chiarieds

The descriptors that are in question are these for 'planning & following a journey'

e. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant 10 points.
f. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid 12 points

The tribunals who helped change the law concerning this said that if e. applies (where you were awarded 10 points), then f. can't apply (as you don't go on any journey the majority of days even with the help of another person).

So, sorry, currently this couldn't change your mobility component to the enhanced rate.

pete33

thank you @chiarieds I find this stuff hard to work out, thank you for your time, just wondering if it causes me overwhelming distress who would actually be entitled to enhanced? what would there situation be would they need to score 12 under the rule change?

pete33

I say this is I looked up the descriptors and points and Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. scores both 10 and 12 points unless the information is dated?

woodbine

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf

poppy123456

If you scored 10 points for being unable to undertake any journey because of overwhelming psychological distress then i'm afraid you will not qualify for Enhanced mobility. 

Chiarieds is correct here, A claimant that satisfies 1E can not satisfy 1F.

The rule changes do not apply here. A person maybe entitled to Enhanced under following and planning a journey if they can't follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistant dog or orientation aid.

If you're unable to go out the majority of the time, even with another person then 1E is correct.

pete33

@poppy123456 @chiarieds o@woodbine ok thank you all for your time much appreciated

chiarieds

It's a case of either one or the other applies; either descriptor e. or f. In your case it's descriptor e.