What does planning and following journeys mean on the pip form

lulu1949

please help don’t understand this question , apparently it doesn’t mean following a sat nav! I have difficulty walking due to an ankle replacement and need crutches all the time. I get driven everywhere but I don’t know how to answer this question. Thanks

April2018mom

Hello @lulu1949. 

The question is about the cognitive ability to plan a journey somewhere. For example if you had dementia, that might prevent you from being able to plan a day out. They want to know why you cannot plan a journey alone. Consider how you feel when being asked to plan a trip out alone. 

Think about the following 6 questions below: 

Can you catch a bus safely?
Can you follow a map?
How do you feel when leaving the house alone?
Are you able to think clearly if you are lost? 
Can you ask for directions? 
What would you do if you were stranded somewhere? 

I hope this is useful!
For more information, see this link
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Personal-Independence-Payment-Test/Plan-and-follow-a-journey

poppy123456

Hi,

If you're claiming for physical conditions then following and planning a journey doesn't apply to you. It would only be possible to score points in the moving around part of mobility. For this, it will totally depend on how far you can walk, regularly, reliably, without pain and discomfort.

Both mobility activities are explained here. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria#mobility-activities

lulu1949

Hiya Poppy thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Yes I agree but on his assessment paper this was covered and he was given 0 points but although he can only walk out 20 metres and even then in pain and on crutches he was only awarded 4 points! They say he can walk up to 200 metres, how vacant they say that !!!

lulu1949

Hi April, thanks so much when I say I , I am talking for my son  your info has really helped thanks

April2018mom

You need to request a mandatory reconsideration. Give examples of what happens on a good day and describe a bad day as well. How far can he walk unaided?
Remember you have 28 days to ask them to look at your decision again. Use this tool to type up a letter of appeal 
https://www.advicenow.org.uk/pip-tool

lulu1949

Hi luvvy, yes I have done that, I am wading through the paperwork as we speak. I asked for a copy of the assessment and can’t believe what I read. The nurse did not report exactly what happened. She asked closed questions it was more like an interrogation, the whole assessment only lasted 33 minutes , that’s including checking his feet after he took his socks off with great difficulty so you can imagine how much time was actually spent on talking to him. He was so embarrassed he did not want to go. He has never ever claimed from the state. He had his accident in 2003 and had to give up his career as a heating engineer, never claimed unemployment benefits etc. He works doing visits to homes to fill out forms but is driven by his dad who is 71 year old. He has a replacement ankle but his other foot is affected now because he is putting so much strain on it. I could cry. I feel he should qualify for a mobility vehicle with paddles as he is trying his best to work. His dad in not in good health at the moment so it is wearing on him too. I just don’t know how to get through to these people. 

debbiedo49

I think it’s important that you provide real life examples of how this affects the person. Being able to do that perhaps helps the reader understand your circumstances.

chiarieds

Hi @lulu1949 As far as the 'Moving Around' section goes, if, as you mention, your son is in pain, then this should be taken into consideration.

Also, if he would be in pain after walking x number of metres, such that he couldn't repeat the same amount of walking again for longer than you would expect someone without a disability to need.

Again if he could walk part of a certain distance, but would need to stop due to pain for a few minutes, before he could complete the distance, this again should be taken into consideration as far as the assessors go.

So, he might be considered to be able to walk (with or without an aid) the 200 metres, but due to the pain issues I mention, if these apply, he should then be considered to be only able to walk fewer metres reliably, gaining more points.

I hope this explains further what poppy123456 has already mentioned together with the link she provided.

poppy123456

lulu1949 said:

Hiya Poppy thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Yes I agree but on his assessment paper this was covered and he was given 0 points but although he can only walk out 20 metres and even then in pain and on crutches he was only awarded 4 points! They say he can walk up to 200 metres, how vacant they say that !!!

Yes, it would be covered on the assessment because it's part of the mobility activities. However, he can't score the points if the descriptor doesn't apply. As he's claiming for a physical condition then following and planning a journey doesn't apply, therefore 0 points is correct.

If you disagree with the points given for the moving around part then it's this you need to challenge and not following and planning a journey.

It helps to have some understanding of the PIP descriptors and what they mean.

Being driving around because he's unable to walk a certain distance won't score him any points for following and planning a journey.

For the MR request you need to state where you think he should have scored those points and your reasons why. Adding a couple of real life examples of what happened the last time he attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to him. If the activity doesn't apply there's no point in challenging it because he won't score any points.

lulu1949

Thanks thanks so much Poppy, Chiarieds, April, Debbie you have all been so helpful, thank you so much x

April2018mom

lulu1949 said:

Thanks thanks so much Poppy, Chiarieds, April, Debbie you have all been so helpful, thank you so much x

No problem!

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @lulu1949, I'm glad the members have been able to give some great advice. I hope the MR goes well and please do let us know if we can help with anything else.

lulu1949

Thank you so much Chloe just finished the MR. Can’t believe how many pages I have written. Posting it off tomorrow.