Mobility for MH and challenge of daily living.

griff11

My daughter has had enhanced for both elements for last two years due to OCD.  Had to submit new application and had assessment and had copy of assessment report but no decision yet.  Assessment report- 15 points on daily living (previously 13),  10 points on mobility for planning journeys.  Previously she had 12.  

If they go with this intend to challenge but  a few questions-

• should  I challenge daily living preparation of food?    On form and at assessment I detailed how her husband prepares her breakfast and lunch - she works from home, and he leaves it out for her.  He then cooks evening meals.  When no food suitable for pre prepping lunch I take her lunch and hand over at door .  I'm not allowed in due to her contamination issue.  She thinks she makes everything dirty  so won't use kitchen appliances from drawers etc. or open fridge /freezer.
• Planning a journey- she won't leave the house.  Again I detailed she's been to GP twice as they demanded see her due to a severe ear infection which they had been treating via online prescribing and due to severe symptoms they needed to see.  They they sent her straight to hospital to see ENT where they had to drain infection.  She had to go a second time to hospital after another flare up.  Her husband had to take her as no way would she leave house without his forcing her to.  I detailed how he then had to clean car where she had sat/touched.   Am I being unreasonable in expecting 12 points here .  She currently has this and she's worse than 2 years ago.  
• Moving around - she has panic attacks and becomes rooted to the spot.  She cannot move but physically aside from her panic/anxiety  nothing is preventing this.  When she did go walk outside she asks the person with her to check her shoes constantly and if she sees mud she panics and freezes.  I gave an example of a panic attack from previous week at assessment  involving builder banging door and shouting through window as he wanted her car moved .  She rung me distraught as she couldn't leave house to do.  She couldn't even go to back room to get keys to give me and I wasn't allowed in house.  She was just standing there frozen.  Her husband had to come home from work.  Is it worth me challenging zero points for moving around?  

I should add I'm her appointee.

poppy123456

If the decision goes with the report there's no point in challenging the daily living part because you can't have any higher award than Enhanced. Even at Tribunal once you get to 12 points they stop and no further points will be awarded, even if you could score those points.

Following and planning a journey, if she's unable to go out the majority of the time then 1E "cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress" would be correct. This scores 10 points (standard mobility)

Moving around mobility, she wouldn't qualify for this based on all the information you gave here.

poppy123456

This may help. https://pipinfo.net/#activities

If you're unable to go out the majority of the time, this scores less than someone who's unable to follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid.

griff11

poppy123456 said:

This may help. https://pipinfo.net/#activities

If you're unable to go out the majority of the time, this scores less than someone who's unable to follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid.

DWP accepted in 2019 her intrusive thoughts qualified her for 1f.  OCD is all about intrusive thoughts telling you something and then extending if you argue with it to "what if".   Basically you can't out argue your OCD thoughts as they are your thoughts and match your intelligence.  

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/985358/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-assessment-criteria.pdf

This descriptor is most likely to apply to claimants with cognitive, sensory or developmental impairments, or a mental health condition that results in overwhelming psychological distress, who cannot, due to their impairment, work out where to go, follow directions, follow a journey safely or deal with unexpected changes in their journey, even when the journey is familiar. A claimant who suffers overwhelming psychological distress whilst on the familiar journey and who needs to be accompanied to overcome the overwhelming psychological distress may satisfy descriptor 1f.

She's in private therapy at the moment as the refusing to leave the house completely escalated in June this year.  Her therapy homework is to go out for a drive as passenger.  Small steps . 

calcotti

griff11 said:

DWP accepted in 2019 her intrusive thoughts qualified her for 1f.  
...
A claimant who suffers overwhelming psychological distress whilst on the familiar journey and who needs to be accompanied to overcome the overwhelming psychological distress may satisfy descriptor 1f.

If she can go out but needs to be accompanied then descriptor f is correct. If, on the majority of days, she cannot go out then descriptor e is correct, as explained by poppy, The previous DWP decision may have been incorrect or, as you mention that she has got worse, perhaps previously she could go out if accompanied but no longer can which scores less points.