Child's DLA & DLA Migration to PIP

[reallymadwoman]

It is 12 points altogether for care and 12 altogether for mobility.

 

 

When completing the care section, remember that pretty much anything can be an aid if your mother uses it to compensate for a disability, even if it's something a lot of people have anyway. For example, taps with levers are an aid if you couldn't turn an ordinary tap, even though lots of people have them.

[reallymadwoman]

Hello again, so I am now onto Q14 Mobility of the PIP application. On Q14c it says 'do you use a wheelchair or similar device to move around safely etc'

My question is:- I'm sure I remember it being said that if you use a wheelchair, it stops you being awarded High Rate Mobility - is this correct?No, if someone uses a wheelchair because they cannot walk (repeatedly and reliably) 50m, then they get the enhanced rate. You may be thinking of the rules for ESA where having to use a wheelchair means diddly squat.

 

Also just another quick question, Q13, three of the descriptors have changed, and it precludes people with psychological distress, so it looks like anyone with a mental health illness can never be awarded the 12 points. My mother has both physical and psychological disabilities. I have included both in the Q13d as the PIP booklet states 'it doesn't look at your physical ability to get around which is covered in the next section'. My mother's mobility disabilites are combined with both physical and psychological problems and I had to explain how they both interacted with her mobility. Tried asking the PIP helpline, and they did not know the answer.

 

Help please.

 

DWP recently lost at the Upper tribunal as to whether all descriptors for q13 apply to mental health in general or only things like dementia or a learning disability. The tribunal thought that the reason someone can't do something is irrelevant so any descriptor could apply, but DWP didn't like that so they got the rules changed by parliament. The overall effect now is, for example, that someone with agoraphobia but who can sometimes leave the house, now gets nothing unless they have a physical restriction as well.

 

That said, I wouldn't worry too much about including something if it may not apply, better than not including something which you should have. I'm all in favour of if it's worth telling them, it's worth telling them as often as possible even if it's in the wrong bit of the form. Bottom line is that the assessor has to consider all the sections even if you filled in none of them, though whether they would is a different matter.

[reallymadwoman]

Be prepared for no one to have read anything you submitted before sending an appointment. I can't speak for Capita as it's ATOS in this area, but they have admitted that everyone is sent the first available appointment in their general area and they rely on claimants calling them to complain if it's at all unsuitable, in my case that was over 40 miles away at 9 am on a Monday morning in a building with no wheelchair access and no parking nearby. I even included a letter from their own doctor who did my ESA assessment saying I had to be assessed at home.

 

As your case should be flagged as having an appointee and as I get the feeling Capita are more reasonable, you should be ok, but if you're sent an appointment just ring and explain and someone should have another look at it.

[reallymadwoman]

Thank you for responding RMW. I have called the PIP so called helpline a few times to try to clarify certain questions, especially Q13, but they said the 'don't know'. I also asked if I could type up the responses and stick them in the information boxes - this was a big no no, everything has to be handwritten they told me as it goes through a scanning device.This is an outright lie - many disabled couldn't write, me included, and they know it. I would have thought that it would have been easier for them to read the typed info instead of my handwriting. I also cannot understand why PIP2 is not yet available on a PDF format Again, DWP promised 2 years ago that electronic forms would be available soonwhich would make carer's lives so much easier if they choose to type these very lengthy applications. I did type the section where it states that as I am the DWP Appointee, every effort should be made to come to a paper based decision, and I stuck it down at the back of the application where it mentions about Face to Face interviews.

 

Anyway, once again, many thanks for all the input, I will update the forum as and when I hear anything.

 

Best of luck