PIP rejected because of home medical assessment

Hi ET

You can break it down. Just think about the whole process of making a meal and describe what would happen if you tried, or when you last tried (even if that was years ago). You're right saying that it is impossible is not enough - you need to explain why it is impossible.

So if you can't cut up vegetables, you say why not. 1, Because of frequent bouts of dizziness you are only able to sit down for a few minutes (try and say what few is). and then you need to go and lay down. 2. Handling knives is impossible because of the lack of grip and safety issues and the real danger of hurting yourself, which is why your husband does all the cooking. (Remind them again here that when you are alone your husband leaves you cold food to eat.)3. Because of the lack of grip you are unable to move pans, as you would drop them. You don't have the balance of strength. 4. Nor could you take a ready meal and put in in the microwave (you need to say why you can't do this - balance, grip, dizziness, lifting something out - the danger of burning and hurting yourself, being unable to stand). 5. You also need to say why you cannot sit on a perching stool (because of the dizziness).

There may be more you need to say - but you need to do this with every point against the criteria. It can seem laborious - but as Gordon said in a previous post - do not assume the person reading your claim understands your condition or situation. I think this is especially important when describing variable conditions, where they seem to err on the side of the 'good days' only.

BIS

ET

If you cannot prepare and cook a simple meal in its totality then you need to explain why this is the case, I can't say whether this will amount to a need for assistance but if you do not make the arguments then you certainly won't qualify

You cannot ignore the use of suitable aids, for example; would a perching stool allow you to remain in the kitchen, if not why is this the case?

You should treat "cannot prepare and cook food" as exactly that, so if you can cook toast or heat soup then you are not going to qualify for this Descriptor.

Gordon

ET

First of all, I would separate your comments about assistance and supervision, I know that the Descriptor refers to both but the help being given is very different between the two.

Secondly, you are still not addressing the issue of suitable aids, I mentioned a perching stool in a previous post, the DWP will also argue that there is no need for you to pick up a heavy pan, you can fill it using a smaller container that you can manage and when hot, you can remove food from the pan using a slotted spoon to a plate that you could carry. It may well be that you cannot do these things but you need to explain this, there is a list of aids in the PIP Claim guide, you don't have to address each one but for everything that you are saying that you cannot do you need to see whether an aid would help and then explain why it wouldn't.

The term "reliable" is a collective noun for four sets of criteria;

• 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 where you say "I cannot prepare a simple meal reliably" yo need to change this to one of the terms above, from what you have written "safely" would appear to be a better term.

Gordon