pip rheumatoid arthritis pain

ooohiduno wrote: Hello.
When doing a task, like cooking, washing,and dressing. Even though you can do the tasks with aids , They do cause you pain and discomfort. How much pain and discomfort do you need to experience before being considered unable to do the task and qualify for a higher descriptor?

In quoting; ESA 214, Page 13, The assessment. Where pain , discomfort and the HP considerimg your condition in the longer term and not just a snapshot of it at the assessment.
Is there a similar guide for PIP?.

The PIP Descriptors make no reference to pain or discomfort, however, this does not mean that it is ignored as it is covered under the term reliably which is defined in law as meaning

• Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person.
• To a necessary and appropriate standard – given the nature of the activity.
• Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a timely manner – in a reasonable time period.

So if you experience pain or discomfort whilst carrying out an activity then you may be able to argue that you cannot do it safely.

Unfortunately there is no definition or scale that you can use in relation to the pain or discomfort that you experience.

As a general rule, whilst it should not matter if you experience pain all of the time, it is better if you can show that this is exacerbated by your carrying out an activity.

You need to explain how the pain affects you personally as it is a very subjective experience and you must relate it to the activities that PIP tests.

You might want to have a look at the PIP Assessment guide that the DWP produced for assessors. It is in the PIP section (link above).

Gordon