PIP review question

Hi Organic

How much detail you put is a matter of personal taste, but when I'm helping people to fill out forms I try to minimise the questions they come back with by providing as much information as possible about the things they are specifically looking at. It doesn't always work. So much of this process comes down to an element of luck.

BIS

Hi organic,
Descriptor 1 deals with the preparation and cooking of a simple meal for one using fresh ingredients. Using the kettle does not comprise cooking.
Descriptor 2 involves the ability to eat and drink, hence making tea and coffee isn't included here either. Can you physically eat and drink safely etc it includes whether you need help eg adapted cutlery or a special plate or do you have a feeding tube.
Your inability to use a kettle may indicate you have poor wrist strength etc so think what activities could be similar to using a kettle, maybe lifting a small pan, or a plate, maybe using cutlery etc and being able to chop food. Then on your form simply write that you can't do X because you have poor wrist strength, and explain why.
Make sure you address each descriptor clearly and as BIS said earlier don't introduce extra things into the mix. If you say I can't use a kettle hence I can't cook food, DWP will only come back and say 'using a kettle isn't part of descriptor 1 or 2' and will ignore anything else because it doesn't seem relevant and will just award zero points.
As per previous posts. Explain why you can't eg cook, give examples of what goes wrong eg accidents, burnt food, raw food etc, or simply going hungry. Show you are unsafe, too slow, can't do acceptably or repeatedly.
And just to mention repetition, you need to be able to do (any) descriptor repeatedly across the day as many times as reasonably required. Dressing etc may need to be done say four or five times per day. Toilet needs might comprise 10 or even 30 times per day if you have incontinence. Preparing food is likely to be 2 maybe 3 or 4 times per day. (Bearing in mind this is only meals not snacks or drinks.)
You would need to show that eg any or all of breakfast lunch and supper couldn't be done due to your health condition. So it might be fatigue breathlessness, light headedness or eg pain etc that prevents you from doing the activity across the whole day, as reasonably required for the majority of days. You will need to explain why you can't repeat.
I hope this helps to clarify.
LL26

Hi organic

Question 1 : You might use a kettle tipper - pouring boiling water onto vegetables before cooking?

Question 2: As per LL26 answer - yes. There is no definitive answer to what might be considered an aid. You've been recommended that you use these - so you can include these. Be careful in how you describe the impact. It's all too easy for an assessor to decide you no longer have a 'problem'

BIS