what counts as a journey for PIP assessment?

Carol13

Id like some opinions on what counts as a journey for PIP assessment. My daughter only goes out on her own to a corner shop one street away(she has a learning disability) she cant use public transport without me and doesn't go anywhere alone. How many point do you think she would get?

Richard_Scope

Hi @Carol13

Welcome to our community and thank you for your post. Here is the link to the PIP/DLA discussions that might help.

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi @Carol13 You do not say a lot about how your daughter is limited, but assuming psychological distress is not relevant, my opinion is your daughter is likely to score activity 1(d) to give her 10 points as she "Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid".  However you should also consider whether your daughter can safely follow any journey and if you consider there is a risk to her safety whilst out, then it is possible she would score activity 1(f) "Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid" giving 12 points and thus the enhanced rate of mobility.

curiousmom1996

Hi there!

Please provide more information.
When you say that the claimant can’t take a journey independently what exactly do you mean? Are you saying that it’s impossible for her to safely understand directions or undertake a journey on a bus or train alone? Does she need a carer by her side at all times? 
How old is she now? Only you know her best. You know her limitations and abilities. If she cannot reasonably cope with independent travel use the form to tell them that. The whole objective of all of the paperwork is to understand what the claimant can and cannot do independently.
Be careful with the questions on the form. 

Carol13

Hi, she’s just turned 16 and functions around age 10 at best. Very vulnerable and never goes anywhere other than to a friends house in village where we live, l call ahead to say she’s on her way and the other parent rings me when she gets there, approx 2 min walk. She can’t tell time, understand numbers or instructions unless in very simple form.

poppy123456

Hi,

You need to explain exactly how her conditions affect her because that's what PIP is all about and not a diagnosis. If she only goes out to familiar places, like the corner shop and to a friends house then you must state this because this would be a familiar journey and there is a difference between not going anywhere alone at all to going on familiar journey's alone.

Is she claiming DLA now? Is this a transfer from that?

Carol13

Yes has had DLA since age 3, high care middle mobility

poppy123456

I'd advise getting some help with the forms, if that's the stage you're at because there's a difference between going to familiar places and not being able to go out alone at all.