pip

I'm doing the dreaded form and whilst I think I could definately get the enhanced rate with personal care, I'm concerned about the mobility part I score 0 with planning and following journeys. But moving around I'm not 100%. Firstly, I would like to know if repeatedly has a time frame as its very vague, also whilst I could sometimes walk 50-100 yards, albeit very slowly and controlled to minimise movement, it would cause me additional pain and discomfort. sometimes I couldn't complete 50 yards as some days I cannot even stand due to discomfort. where do I stand with this

Hi Leslie and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

If you cannot walk some days due to pain then it is clear that you cannot carry out the activity reliably. This is explained in our PIP guide, along with the 'repeatedly' issue.

PIP help for claimants

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That way you can return to this topic easily to pose any further queries that you may have by replying to the topic.

See : This Topic also !

Thanks in anticipation of your future co-operation in keeping all your PIP related queries to this topic !

Hi Thanks for the answer, I've been a member for a few years now and through your sites help have gained supported permitted work and been placed in the support group esa. with the word reliably I see that I would qualify. but there is no guidance on the word repeatedly what would this refer to?

Hi again I have had my report back and was awarded the lowest of both by the assesor. I havent had a formal decision as yet but already found there was some things to contest in the face to face report. I wonder if you could look at what I have written back to them, maybe the decision will be different but I have the following as below for the reconsideration..




Following the report from the face to face ascessor regarding PIP, I would like to point out a few descrepancies in the report, which I feel have been misunderstood by my asessor. I would also like to point out that the assessment took place in the morning and I had asked her to include this in the report as I get worse as the day goes on.
The assessor hasnt fully included the medical evidence I had sent and referenced 1-20. I assume that you have it with my claim for pip so I wont list here again.
Another mis-communication is that I was not crushed under a roller, I was on a large gantry which slipped from the quay wall onto a ship as I was boarding, The gantry had a roller on it (maybe this is where the misunderstanding has arisen) so it was able to move back and forth with the tide. but it didnt crush me. It left the quay wall and came down hard onto the deck of the ship with me on it, so the accident was not a crushing one but more like a parachuting type accident.
I also feel there has been a miscommunication on page 3 as I stated to the asessor that I use the speakerphone facility to communicate on the phone so I dont have to hold it up to my ear, and I record all phone calls relating to my work which allows me to go back and listen at a later time, So even if I have been really rough I can catch up when I feel a bit better. also, it states that I do not drink alcohol I do drink alcohol but not often. I had some wine possibly 2 glasses over the weekend, but as its in a non spill sports type container I didn't measure it. My partner drank the rest.
Preparing food. I do make tea but from a hot water dispenser where you press a button to get hot water as I am too worried about picking up a hot kettle. I only have one tea in the morning as it upsets my bladder problem. Then for the rest of the day I only drink squash which is from a non spill sports type container with a flip top and internal straw. I was using this during the face to face consultation.
I feel here that I have been placed in the wrong catagory with the activity preparing food as I cannot cook a simple meal of vegetables, potato and meat. Firstly I cannot stand up for long enough due to discomfort and cant pick up a filled saucepan, which has been consistant from the time of my injury. I now also cannot cut/peel vegetables due to dexterity problems with my hands due to the nerve problems in my neck. My mother, sister or partner all make me pre-cooked food to freeze as I cant cook for for myself, in fact my partner does "batch cooking" . All I have to do is pop it in the microwave, which would be on for around 10 mins or so, so I go and sit whilst its on untill it has finished and bleeps at me. With this descriptor the asessor has ticked B. I absolutely fail to see what appropriate aid I could use to prepare a simple meal from the assessors findings here, as even descriptor E would mean that someone would have to peel and clean the food and someone else actually cooks the food as I couldnt do it. I believe Descriptor F is the most appropriate in this regard.
I agree with the assesors choice of descriptors for the following activities taking nutrition and manageing therapy.
With washing and bathing activity, I feel the descriptor that best describes this would be D and sometimes F as although I have a thing to rub my foot against, its not the best, so if I want a decent wash IE; between toes etc, then I would have to have assistance. Also there are times when I cannot wash my hair, shoulders and waist and need assistance dependent on the severity of my condition. My partner helps me have a proper shower once a week, I only shower one other time in the week where I try to be independent and do it for myself, I take ages and dont feel as clean as when I have assistance.
Managing toilet needs activity I feel maybe should be descriptor D as during times of very high pain levels, I need assistance to get on or off the loo as when in this state I literally cannot even get to the toilet on my own, sometimes during these times I cannot even wipe myself which I find really embarrassing to say the least. I estimate this help at around 25-45% of the time, and for the rest of the time I have to use the wall/sink or radiator in the downstairs loo to assist with getting up or down as there is no room for a handle to be installed. However, upstairs there is a handle to assist with getting up and down. I told the assesor this during the face to face as well as needing help ocassionally with wiping for around 15 times during the last year. I do not like to have this done and prefer to do it myself at my own detriment.
Dressing and undressing I did not say I dressed myself as written in the assesors report. I needed help with putting on my underwear and shorts as I would do any other day. I did say that I put my t-shirt on myself that morning and I specifically wore very loose fitting clothes for the assesment as I thought I would need to remove my top during the medical which I did. I would say I either fit descriptor D or even descriptor E as some nights I require assistance to undress myself fully, I estimate this evening help to undress my top half at 30% of the time in the evening and not often in the morning.
I agree with the assesors choice of descriptor for the following activities communicating verbally, reading and understanding signs, engaging with others, budgeting decisions and planning a journey.
moving around whilst I can see the assesors logic here with the descriptor C. I feel that it should be pointed out that the asessor used a good day to base her decision, I have problems with getting up to stand let alone walking and I need to use furniture and walls to traverse around my home. I always walk slowly and most days I can only walk for up to 20 meters around my home so for the majority of thre time I feel Descriptor E would be a more suitable choice as I feel that I could not do this repeatedly and in a timely manner