PIP Assessment - Planning and Following Journies

Well, I got my PIP award letter back yesterday on the 18th. The decision had been made on the 10th and so I came in before the changes of the 15th. This is both good and not-so-good news.

(But first let me say a big thank you to B&W and those on this form who have given invaluable help!)

In summary, previously I was awarded 12 points for Daily Living, and 10 points for Mobility. This time I received 14 points for Daily Living (but lost points on some descriptors) and only 8 points for Mobility. This does mean I am still on the same overall award but losing points on mobility, and what I did get points for, is a concern.

I shall summarise the award below, as I am considering a Mandatory Reconsideration, primarily on the Mobility.

Daily Living where I lost points:

Preparing Food:
Previous: 4 points ("You need supervision or assistance from another person to prepare or cook a simple meal").
Now: 2 points ("You need prompting from another person to prepare or cook a simple meal")

This strikes me as a fairly subjective line of question. What objectively differentiates the two? As I scored higher in other descriptors I am not going to make a big deal of this one.

However, Mobility is a different kettle of fish and the new rules regarding psychological distress, although not affecting me this time, would do if I was to get the same scoring in future assessments.

Previously, as I state above, I was awarded 10 points under "You cant undertake any journey because it would cause you significant mental distress". That was all the points I recieved for mobility at that time.

This time I was awarded 8 points.

4 Points - Planning and Following a Journey
"You need prompting from another person to undertake a journey to avoid causing you significant mental distress"
4 Points - Moving Around
"You can stand and then move more than 50 metres bt no more than 200 metres either aided or unaided"

As you can see, under the descriptor rules from 15 March I would have lost 4 points there and not qualified for standard mobility.

I could argue over the moving around (the assessor could see I could not walk unaided and even made the taxi driver come from where he had parked less than fifty metres outside the assessment centre to directly outside the door to collect me).

However, it is the Following and Planning A Journey scoring that I wish to request the MR for.

Of course, this is a Catch 22. I had to attend the assessment or lose my entitlement. But because I attended they now mark me down.

But the assessor clearly saw I was in severe psycological distress. I had self harmed cutting my arms and wrists and was bleeding onto his desk. I was shaking uncontrollably and was unresponsive to his question such was my state. I self harmed during the assessment pulling my hair and striking my head with my fist on several occasions.

The assessor ended the assessment after just 10 mins and said he would not continue with me present in order to end my distress as he had seen enough and had enough information from my notes for the rest of the assessment to be completed without my being present. He then called for the taxi to collect me. He continued to observe me closely while we waited for the taxi and was clearly concerned, as were other staff in the building, as to my well being.

I think this still qualifies as "You cant undertake any journey because it would cause you significant mental distress" as quite clearly, when forced to take a jounrey I was in significant mental distress as was acknowledged by the assessor.

Is it worth my while requesting the MR on these grounds? Obviously, being marked down sets a bad precedent for future assessments, and while I do not care about being placed in a higher category on Mobility, I do care that my actual condition is recorded accurately for the sake of future PIP reviews and assessments.

Can anyone point me to advice or templates for a MR letter and what evidence and information I should include.

I will request on Monday a copy of my report. As it took 8 days for the PIP letter to reply I only have 20 days left to get my MR submitted in time. Should I wait for the PIP report from the DWP or send my the MR letter immediately?

Any advice on this matter is much appreciated.

Oh, forgot to add the following.

In the section of the award letter, "My Decision" it states the following.

"I looked at the information you provided and the further health professional consultation and decided the descriptors previously chosen are correct."

"When we made our previous decision we gave you PIP for a set time because we expected your needs to change. As the evidence you provided shows your needs have not changed, and are continuing, I have given you a longer award. Your rate of PIP has not changed"

"I decided you need prompting from another person to undertake a journey to avoid causing you significant mental distress."

Surely this is contradictory. If they are acknowledging in their own words that my needs have not changed, and that their descriptors previously chosen are correct, then why give me a lower score?

Would I be correct in basing my request for a MR on this?

Thank you Gordon. Particularly over the clarification regarding Mobility descriptors.