PIP Preparing a meal

Florrie · October 2021

Good Afternoon

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis

I have my PIP assessors report and I been awarded 2 points in the "preparing a meal" section (Needs an aid or appliance to be able to cook a simple meal unaided) and wondering if I should be awarded more points in this section. The reason for 2 points was: "Your medical evidence confirms your diagnosis of significant fatigue and recurrant joint pain, your flare ups do not happen on the majority of days"

But I don't have to be in flare to have pain or fatigue. Plus my hosptal letter says (Dec 2020) She is still experiencing at least 2 flares a month, she reprts they can last at least up to a week. GP letter: recurrent pain in number of joints

I have aids but I still struggle to use my angled knife due to strength and pain, same with peeling potatoes etc
I have spilt/ dropped pans of boiling pasta before (but I have no evidence to prove this)
I can't use jar openers as they still require me to grip/ the glass part of the jar, I can't do it and it hurts to try and pay for using my wrists/ hands afterwards.
Therefore my husband does the cooking and makes kids lunch boxes etc

How on earth do I prove this?

The letters I included says:

Recurrant pain in shoulders, knees, hands and feet, extreme tiredness. (2021)
Mild restriction of right wrist flexion and entension from Xray evidence of joint space narrowing at right wrist
(this was form feb 2018 and probably worse now so perhaps I need re-examining?)

I need to start my MR and Appeal and I think there will be long waiting list for an NHS physical assessment (hands/wrists), do you It is worth trying to get a private phyical assessment? I also get very anxious about medical appointments due to Covid/ being immunosuppressed so I haven't has physical examinations for a long time. I'm wondering if a private assessor OT/Physio could assess my wrist flex at home.

Do you have any other ideas?

And Am I right in thinking it is a meal of fresh ingredients? so not frozen veg etc. And I need to be able to do it safely?

I'm not sure how how many points I should've been awarded.

Thank you

poppy123456 · October 2021

HI,

Have you had the decision yet? If not then you haven't been awarded 2 points because the HCP can't award the points. They make recommendations only. The only person that can award points is a decision maker.

Once the decision's been made if you're not happy and you think you can score more points for a higher award or score enough of points for an award then you can request the Mandatory Reconsideration. (MR)

Just so that you're aware, if they think you can complete an activity safely by using an aid (even if you don't use an aid) then this is where you will score the points. If you can't you an aid then you need to tell them why you can't do that activity using the aid. Also carrying things such as pots/pans around the kitchen is not considered in this activity.

You don't need any NHS assessments as proof of any difficulties you have, Medical evidence is only useful if it states exactly how your conditions affect you and most doesn't. It will only state the basics, like diagnosis, where the pain is etc etc and this isn't the best evidence to send.

The best you can send is your anecdotal evidence, real world examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you. Adding information such as where you were, what exactly happened, who (if anyone) seen it and what the consequences were.

Florrie · October 2021

Thank you,
yes I've had my decsion and was awarded 2 points in that section.

The thing is I don't know how to prove that something is too painful, or dangerous.
My husband took over the cooking due to my pain and fatigue so I haven't got any proof of accidents because when he could see that my hand started wobbing if I try to chop and I couldn't get a knife through it and it was casuing me to cry in pain then had ro take over the cooking.

The assessor did not take my word on anything which is why I feel like i needed more medical evidence.

poppy123456 · October 2021

Medical evidence is not needed, as advised here.

poppy123456 said:

The best you can send is your anecdotal evidence, real world examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you. Adding information such as where you were, what exactly happened, who (if anyone) seen it and what the consequences were.

May i ask how many points you think you should have scored for this activity? How many points in total did you receive for the daily living part?

calcotti · October 2021

PIP Preparing a meal

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