2nd PIP Assessment-Mobility downgraded HELP!

Absolutely brilliant, thanks I will have a good look at this !!

Hi, I still haven't received any reports but I just spoke to a lovely lady at DWP who read out how the decision make made his decision. He said there is in inconsistency between what I put on the form (can't walk 20m without significant pain the majority of the time) and what the assessor saw which was me moving without much difficulty (in his opinion! And it was a good day).

Becuase I agreed and said sometimes when the assessor asked if I could walk for 2 minutes the DM has used the D formula and worked out I can walk 60meters so the balance of probability is that 20-50meters is accurate.

So at last I know what has happened and can put a letter together explaining my side.

Let's hope the reconsideration goes well and thanks for all of your help.

Do you know what the magic formula is that DWP use to work out walking length??

Eggcustard wrote: Do you know what the magic formula is that DWP use to work out walking length??

Hi Ec,

if you look at this extract from Page 120 of : The Guidance for PIP Assessment Providers.

"Activity 12 – Moving around

This activity considers a claimant’s physical ability to move around without severe discomfort, such as breathlessness, pain or fatigue.

This includes the ability to stand and then move up to 20 metres, up to 50 metres, up to 200 metres and over 200 metres.

As with all the other activities, a claimant is to be assessed as satisfying a descriptor only if the reliability criteria are also considered.

The claimant must be able to undertake the activity:

• safely (in a manner unlikely to cause harm to the claimant or to another, either during or after completion of the activity);

• to an acceptable standard;

• repeatedly (as often as the activity being assessed is reasonably required to be completed); and

• within a reasonable time period (no more than twice as long as the maximum period that a person without a physical or mental condition which limits that person’s ability to carry out the activity in question would normally take to complete that activity)."

Which advises that if the claimant takes more than twice as long to walk the applicable distance than a normal healthy person would, they should be treated as if they cannot walk that distance at all.

They used to use the following guidance for walking distance/time/speed when assessing a claimant for Mobility DLA :

Speed is the pace the claimant walks at.

Time is the total time it takes the claimant to walk the relevant distance.

As a guide the average person can walk at :

1.brisk pace - >90 metres per minute

2.normal pace - 61-90 metres per minute

3. slow pace - 40-60 metres per minute

4.very slow pace - <40 metres per minute.

> = More Than.

< = Less Than.

I am not certain that this is the "D Formula" that you refer to.

bro58

Useful info regarding walking pace, I have timed myself walking to the bathroom which is 11 meter now I've measured it accurately and it takes 45 seconds therefore, in a minute I can walk about 15 meters which means I should qualify. I also couldn't walk further than 20m repeatedly. I put all of that on the form. He obviously just didn't believe me.

i think the biggest problem I have is the fact that he asked me "how long before I absolutely have to sit down". Rather than how long before you are in pain.

Is that how they dwp define pain?

I am pain all of the time without moving and the assessor knew that because he said that to me.

I'm sure I read that it has to be "significant" pain but I don't know how that is defined. That before even thinking about fatigue!!

Does anyone know how significant pain is defined please??

Thanks.

Eggcustard wrote: Useful info regarding walking pace, I have timed myself walking to the bathroom which is 11 meter now I've measured it accurately and it takes 45 seconds therefore, in a minute I can walk about 15 meters which means I should qualify. I also couldn't walk further than 20m repeatedly. I put all of that on the form. He obviously just didn't believe me.

i think the biggest problem I have is the fact that he asked me "how long before I absolutely have to sit down". Rather than how long before you are in pain.

Is that how they dwp define pain?

I am pain all of the time without moving and the assessor knew that because he said that to me.

I'm sure I read that it has to be "significant" pain but I don't know how that is defined. That before even thinking about fatigue!!

Does anyone know how significant pain is defined please??

Thanks.

Hi Ec,

I do not believe that the term "significant pain" is used in the PIP Assessment Providers Guidance or indeed the PIP Legislation itself.

"This activity considers a claimant’s physical ability to move around without severe discomfort, such as breathlessness, pain or fatigue"

See : This Post and the links therein.

bro58