Hi, I have a question regarding mobility & getting about. How does the DWP & PIP assessors look upon someone who needs 2 crutches to get about, so they don't have to bear any weight at all on their leg? Is using 2 crutches considered walking? If somebody could cover over 200m swinging through 2 crutches, would that not meet any descriptors at a PIP assessment?
PIP looks at the claimants ability to stand and move, this is a broader definition of "walking" than if they had used the word "walk" instead.
All but one of the Moving Around Descriptors include the use of aids (see below) as part of the criteria, so they will look at the distance that you can walk reliably with the crutches on the majority of days. The legal requirement is that you place one biological foot on the ground when you walk, which I assume you do.
The exception is (c) which reads
c. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 8 points.
So this would be the distance that you can reliably walk without your crutches or any other aid.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
