Pip Mobility, could I get enhanced rate? planning and following a journey

lily1920

Hello, I am new here, I am sorry about the length of this post. 

I have been awarded pip, with standard rate for both care and mobility components, due to mental illness including anxiety disorder, OCD and depression, as well as a genetic muscular condition which affects my mobility. I am also given ESA , and I am in the support group.

I was first awarded it in 2016, and in August it was reassessed, and was again awarded standard rate for both components. I was one point away from higher rate care, and for the mobility component, I was given 8 points (4 for my difficulty walking, and 4 for my mental health, where I needed to be 'prompted' to make a journey).

Since then, my mental health has deteriorated, and I am now barely able to leave the house. I can attend my therapy appointments once per week, and even then, I find it incredibly difficult due to experiencing severe anxiety and panic attacks. My mother has to take me, and she forces me to go. I have been unable to go to even the local shops for months now, and I am literally out of the house for 3 hours per week. I am terrified at even the thought of going somewhere unfamiliar. 

I was told that I should fill in another pip2 form due to change in circumstances/worsening condition. 

Do you think I have any chance of being granted higher rate mobility? I think I would only need 8 points on top of the 4 I have for my physical disability (I understand that even this can be taken away, however my condition has not improved in any way, and my physical limitations are still the same). I think the descriptor that says ''pip cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant (10 points)'' applies to me, as I understand that this needs to apply to the majority of days, which it certainly does for me.

I am hoping to ask for a home assessment, and have asked my gp to write a letter supporting this, because there is no way I can attend an assessment. I am so scared of even a home assessment, due to the assessor coming in from outside and being contaminated.

I know that my current award may go down, but I feel that my current award should be at least standard rate care, and higher rate mobility. Do you think that I would meet the descriptor for 10 points for planning and following a journey?

Thank you. 

Sam_Alumni

Hi @lily1920
You could try filling in a PIP self test here to see how you could score.

You need to be aware that reassessment can go down as well as up so if you decide to reapply you need to make sure you have all the evidence available to you.