PIP - Help with Mandatory Reconsideration

Shambles321

Hi All, 

First time claiming PIP, and I have received my decision letter- I scored 6 points for daily living and 2 points for mobility 

Having read the threads on this site (Thank you all for the valuable information) I am looking at putting in a 'Mandatory Reconsideration'

I told the assessor that I need help with cooking and that I need to be supervised for this - my husband and sons help me with this. The assessor asked if I could use the microwave, which I said I could, but she has scored me down as I can chop vegetables sitting on a stool. I did tell her that I cannot cook on my own. I feel that I can get 2 extra points there. The rest of it I am happy with.

The mobility side - this is my main health condition, she has marked me very low on!
I have painful legs due to varicose veins etc and she asked my if I could walk 50 metres - I said I could walk 5 mins without taking a break. I have only scored 2 points for this. She didnt ask me what the maximum distance I could walk. 
I also told her that I cannot go out without someone with me, and I get overwhelmed and have anxiety attacks due to my mental health - I didnt score any more points 

I would really appreciate some advice on putting in a mandatory reconsideration - do i need to give examples for the ones I feel I should have scored points on - like I say I dont think I meet the criteria for all of the pointers? 

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated, especially the successful MR's?

Thank you in advance  

poppy123456

What is the reason why you need assistance with preparing food? What is the reason why a perching stool will not help? If you can reasonably use an aid then this is what you'll score points for. If an aid can't be used then you need to give reasons why you can't use an aid.

Walking distance. Your ability to walk 5 minutes without stopping will depend on how fast you walk. Very difficult to judge distance when stating minutes instead of disatance.

It does help to have some understanding of the descriptors and what they mean.

Yes, you need to give a couple of real world examples of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you. Include detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were. You should aim for at least half an A4 side of paper per descriptor.

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

and this. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

The most likely outcome of the MR will be the decision will remain the same. Only 27% of MR decisions change so you'll likely have to take it to Tribunal.

Timescales for decisions are between 2-12 weeks, sometimes longer.

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @shambles321 Thank you for joining, and for posting about your situation.

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get the PIP award you were hoping for, but it's good to hear that you've found the information on the community helpful! 

As poppy123456 has explained, many people find it best to find ways to strengthen their evidence using real world examples to describe the challenges they face in relation to the descriptors. 

If you're unsure about what any of the key terms, like 'reliably', 'safely' etc. mean in this context, the 'additional information' section at the bottom of this Benefits and Work page may come in handy.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been experiencing some mental ill health, and that you have panic attacks. Are you receiving enough support to help you manage your mental health at the moment?