Hi, my name is brandy28655! PIP form confusion.

brandy28655

Hi everyone, 
I am a total newb at this for myself. My son is disabled and has PIP. He is autistic and get enhanced for both. Unfortunately, I have finally bit the bullet and applied. I have held off for as long as possible, but I need help. 
Last week 3-22-2024 ( I had to look that up in email as I couldn't remember what day!)  I called and did the phone part of the application. Then I did the online part the next day. I think I uploaded like 30 pages of medical records. 
I have diabetes, (Which is out of control and we cant get it sorted) 
arthritis( made worse by diabetes)  and a host of other ailments. 
Basically, I am in constant pain, tired and suffer from severe depression and anxiety. That stuff is not fun btw. There are days I can not function as a human being at all. 
The first part of the appication was easy enough, theres so much going on there that it just took a mini book to write. 
The mobility part threw me off. 
Its like asking how long is a piece of string. 
Can I follow a route on my own, sure. I have to drive my kids to school everyday. Can I was 50 meters? depends on the time and place. 
I did write that I was never not in pain. I put down that it varies day to day. On a good day, I can park in Tescos car park, walk in and make it down an isle before my back starts to hurt. After about five min of walking i need a break. On bad days, I cant get out of bed. So how does that work?

poppy123456

Following and planning a journey only applies to those that have either mental health, cognitive or sensory issues. If you're claiming for physical issues only then it will be the moving around part you look at. 

For PIP it's the majority of the days that's considered, so at least 50% of the days over a 12 month period. If you can't complete an activity safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard and in a reasonable time period then you're treated as not be able to complete it at all. 

This is a very useful guide to have a read of. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

Albus_Scope

Hi there @brandy28655 and welcome to the community.

I totally understand your confusion, they really like to make things complicated! As Poppy has already said, it's about what you can't do more than 50% of the time and if you can do it safely, repeatedly and if you can do it in a reasonable time. 

So if you can walk 50m, but it takes you 15 mins and you can't do it a second time, then you'd put you can't do it.  I hope that makes sense? 

Jimm_Scope

So, with conditions that have variability it's as Poppy and Albus have said @brandy28655. Are you affected on more than 50% of the days over the 12 month period?

The regulation is actually as follows:

7.—(1) The descriptor which applies to C in relation to each activity in the tables referred to in regulations 5 and 6 is—
           
(a)    where one descriptor is satisfied on over 50% of the days of the required period, that descriptor;
 
(b)   where two or more descriptors are each satisfied on over 50% of the days of the required period, the descriptor which scores the higher or highest number of points; and
 
(c)    where no descriptor is satisfied on over 50% of the days of the required period but two or more descriptors (other than a descriptor which scores 0 points) are satisfied for periods which, when added together, amount to over 50% of the days of the required period–

I know regulations can be confusing, so let me know if you need some explaining. But as long as you meeting even one of the descriptors for over 50% of the time you should score points.