Will this go against me?

KarenE65

I had my PIP assessment yesterday and was asked how long can I walk for in minutes.  I have said 5 but have realised it is much less than this, more like 2, but I do walk slow. I have arthritis and fibromyalgia.  Will this go against me. I get very confused and I'm fuming at myself for not thinking straight.

Ami2301

Hi @KarenE65 welcome to the community! Unfortunately, we cannot predict the outcome of your assessment. Hopefully, you won't have to wait too long for a decision!

KarenE65

Thank you.

Fetlock

I think the general guide for walking distances is 30 metres per minute if walking very slowly so 5 minutes at a very slow pace would be 150 metres.

It's not as simple as that however as other factors should also be taken into consideration ie pain, if you can walk xx distance repeatedly, or if you walked that distance once would you be unable to do it for the rest of the day.

KarenE65

Fetlock. I hope they think that when they are assessing me. Thanks for your answer

CockneyRebel

This is one of the questions that does take people unawares. The descriptor is for distance not tiime.

Generally accepted

Normal pace is 90mtrs per minute

slow walking - 60 mtrs per minute

very slow  - up to 45 mtrs per minute

Even if you walk very slowly for 2 minutes you could manage maybe 90 mtrs and at best 4 points

cristobal

@ilovecats - could you explain the bit about walking for 5mins - 200m = B (4points)??

Surely, if you are walking that slowly - 40m/ minute i.e. half 'normal speed' - you won't satisfy the reliability criteria....

+ in a reasonable time period – no more than twice as long as the maximum period that a non-disabled person would normally take to complete that activity

(... just interested as my assessor seemed to get in a muddle over this...)

KarenE65

Hi everyone.  I have had a talk with my advisor from CAB and feel more reassured as I can always appeal the decision. Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

Aura

I bet my support worker a cup of tea if the first question I was asked is how I got there,  And guess what, that's what I was asked, I looked at my support worker and said with a knowing look, 'that's white with two thanks   .

KarenE65

Haha. My first question to.

Aura

Their so predictable with that question, should have bet her £10!

cristobal

@aura - it's quite a good question to ask I would have thought, as it covers a lot of the criteria

Can you plan a route, work out which bus to get, walk to the bus stop?
Or drive?
Or did someone bring you?

And quite easy to answer as well!

Aura

I arrived on a chariot pulled four four white horses, accompanied by the the Praetorian Guard.  I drive people round the bend, and my slaves brought me....  Heil Ceaser!

Fetlock

ilovecats said:

cristobal said:

@ilovecats - could you explain the bit about walking for 5mins - 200m = B (4points)??

Surely, if you are walking that slowly - 40m/ minute i.e. half 'normal speed' - you won't satisfy the reliability criteria....

+ in a reasonable time period – no more than twice as long as the maximum period that a non-disabled person would normally take to complete that activity

(... just interested as my assessor seemed to get in a muddle over this...)

I should of added that the lower value is taken to work out approximate distance.

It does not matter so much about the speed if you can do it safely and repeatedly. If you could walk 500m quickly but then be out of action for a week, that would be unreliable. If you can walk around a supermarket slowly, but have to stop every 3rd aisle you’d most likely score c or d as long as you could do it again the majority of days.

What if you can walk round a supermarket but only if using a supermarket trolley to support you, and pushing through the pain throughout?

I think the 20-50m and 50m-200m descriptors are frequently not clear cut, not helped by the fact that there isnt any guidance in the assessment manual (that I could see last night) for 50-200m

Aura

They bang on about football pitches and buses.  I've never seen a football pitch in my life, except on TV.  So it means nothing to me.

KarenE65

I did state in an earlier question that we have to park as close as we can to.shops and that I needed a shopping trolley to help me walk.  It's so hard. You feel like you're lying and that they are trying to catch you out in a lie when you're not. 

April2018mom

For most of the questions I wrote about his inability to walk independently in public places and over long distances as well as the fact that he has a wheelchair and a physical therapist. Best of luck. My advice is to answer the questions as best as you can possibly do. 

KarenE65

I did but I get so confused. Never mind. Thanks for your reply. 

poppy123456

A shopping trolley isn't classed as an aid.

mikehughescq

Would someone care to provide the exact caselaw which says or suggests a shopping trolley is not an aid please. This is news to me and I fear it’s based on a misinterpretation of a specific case.

KarenE65

I'm sure when I said I used the shopping trolley the assessor took this as being an aid. I said I use a walking stick and she said not to use a stick as it can damage you're hip but I find it steadies me. I am just so confused.

mikehughescq

There is nothing to be confused about. If you use something prescribed by the NHS for the purpose they gave it you then it’s usually going to be an aid. If you use something given to a relative; given to you for one period or purpose but now being used for a different period/purpose without NHS say so then it doesn’t follow that it’s not an aid but you will have a fight on your hands.

So, if you’ve bought a stick that was recommended by an NHS medical professional but which the NHS don’t provide then that’s fine. If on the other hand you just bought a stick without the say so of a medical professional then the advice about damage is good advice. 

My point about the shopping trolley is that whilst it’s an ordinary everyday item it clearly is an aid if used for different purposes than the general population. However, where does it score points. There’s no daily living activity it’s relevant to and it’s only actually relevant to mobility 2c, 2d or 2e. In those activities you don’t score points for aids. You score points for lack of covering a distance reliably. The use of a shopping trolley is one example where your distance would be limited but the shopping trolley itself is just illustrative. You would never score points just for using one. It would depend on your overall walking ability.