PIP Assessment Tips?

RainyDays1999

poppy12345 wrote: »

Whether you should have been awarded anything for mobility will depend on how your conditions affect you. Are you claiming for physical or mental health issues?


Requesting the MR will mean they will look at the whole award again. This means that you do risk losing everything you already have. However, most MR decisions remain the same but there's also a chance that you could be awarded a higher amount.



You have 1 month from the date of the decision to request the MR which should be put in writing.

I'm claiming for both physical and mental health issues, but mainly mental health issues.

I'm just so nervous and anxious, I don't know what to do.

poppy12345

Have a read of this link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria


I'd advise you to get some face to face advice from an agency near you before you request the MR.

Alice_Holt

RainyDays1999 wrote: »

I got the enhanced rate for personal care, but didn't score anything for mobility. Should I appeal the decision? Because I believe I do deserve the mobility component, but I'm worried I could lose everything.

Since your previous PIP award was standard DL and no mobility, how have your condition and abilities worsened in relation to moving around and planning and following a journey?

You have a month to ask for an MR of the decision. As poppy suggests look carefully at the mobility descriptors and points, get some face to face advice, and give it very careful consideration.

Why you you think "I do deserve the mobility component"?
What happens when you try to leave the house alone or use public transport?
How far can you walk before you need to stop and pause because of severe discomfort?
Are you still working, if so how do you get to work and manage that journey?
How do you think you could get from no points scored to 8 points for mobility, and do have the medical evidence to support an appeal?
How did the assessor make an error in awarding you no points for mobility, and have you a copy of the assessors report?

What other benefits do you receive?

RainyDays1999

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Since your previous PIP award was standard DL and no mobility, how have your condition and abilities worsened in relation to moving around and planning and following a journey?

You have a month to ask for an MR of the decision. As poppy suggests look carefully at the mobility descriptors and points, get some face to face advice, and give it very careful consideration.

Why you you think "I do deserve the mobility component"?
What happens when you try to leave the house alone or use public transport?
How far can you walk before you need to stop and pause because of severe discomfort?
Are you still working, if so how do you get to work and manage that journey?
How do you think you could get from no points scored to 8 points for mobility, and do have the medical evidence to support an appeal?
How did the assessor make an error in awarding you no points for mobility, and have you a copy of the assessors report?

What other benefits do you receive?

I believe I deserve the standard rate of mobility because I need someone with me at all times because of the anxiety I face.

I can walk fine, it's my mental health issues that are the issue when I'm out and about.

I don't use public transport and often get my mum's boyfriend to take me places.

I don't work now because I had a bad panic attack whilst serving the customers and couldn't handle it. I only worked for 4 hours and then quit.

I'm also on ESA the support group.

Alice_Holt

RainyDays1999 wrote: »

I believe I deserve the standard rate of mobility because I need someone with me at all times because of the anxiety I face.

I don't use public transport and often get my mum's boyfriend to take me places.

I'm also on ESA the support group.

So you are looking at this descriptor:
1d. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. 10 points.

This is what the assessors guide says:
"May apply where a claimant could not reliably make their way along a route without an accompanying person, assistance dog or orientation aid. The presence of another person out of preference, is not sufficient.
“Follow the route” means make one’s way along a route to a destination. This involves more than just navigation of the route; it also includes making your way along the route reliably. Safety should be considered in respect of risks that relate to making ones’ way along a route (for example, tendency to wander into the road, inability to safely cross a road or risk of self-harm due to overwhelming psychological distress caused).
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 minor unexpected changes in their journey when it is unfamiliar. A claimant who suffers
overwhelming psychological distress whilst on the unfamiliar journey and who needs to be accompanied to overcome the overwhelming psychological distress may satisfy descriptor 1d.
A person should only be considered able to follow an unfamiliar journey if they would be capable of using public transport – the assessment of which should focus on ability rather than choice.
The route has already been planned. Any significant diversions from that route are therefore irrelevant – it is no longer the planned route. However, making one’s way around road works, or a change of train platform, road closure or train cancellation (i.e. minor diversions) are part of being able to follow the route.
The descriptor refers to “an unfamiliar journey” rather than “any unfamiliar journey”. Accordingly, claimants can satisfy the descriptor by showing that they typically need to be accompanied by another person or an assistance dog or to use an orientation aid on the majority of days when undertaking unfamiliar journeys (it’s not necessary to show that they need such support for every possible unfamiliar journey on most days)."


If you do decide to appeal, then get your mum's friend to confirm the help he gives you in writing and use this to support your case. (The same for any other family members / friends who accompany you out of doors).

Keep a diary of what happens when you go out (familiar and unfamiliar routes), how you feel etc, and why you can't use public transport (as you can see from the above quote - an inability to use public transport on your own because of overwhelming psychological distress is an important factor). You can then use this for examples when putting your submission together.

If you are in the Support Group due to risk to your health of attending WFI's as a result of your anxiety, that is worth pointing out in an appeal.