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Mobility for psychological distress
- Tracy Watson
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My daughter has autism and is unable to go outside by herself regardless of whether its a familiar or an unfamiliar journey. She wouldn't even go over to our neighbour across the road if there was a fire and ask for help. What would she now qualify for?
We got low rate on DLA I wasn't expecting anything for PIP because I know they took out the psychological distress part but I also now know this was overturned by the courts, but not sure if its been put back on current applications.
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- Gordon
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AS of a couple days ago the DWP have finally issued new guidance to take account of "overwhelming psychological distress", however, based on your post would not have been effected by these changes as you are assessing her as being unable to undertake a journey and the associated Descriptors for this were not actually changed.
If she cannot leave the house then she cannot be assessed on her capabilities for following a route as by definition, to follow a route you must be able to go out.
See our PIP Claim guide for more details.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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- Tracy Watson
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Gordon wrote: Tracy
AS of a couple days ago the DWP have finally issued new guidance to take account of "overwhelming psychological distress", however, based on your post would not have been effected by these changes as you are assessing her as being unable to undertake a journey and the associated Descriptors for this were not actually changed.
If she cannot leave the house then she cannot be assessed on her capabilities for following a route as by definition, to follow a route you must be able to go out.
See our PIP Claim guide for more details.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Gordon
Sorry I may have worded that wrong. She can go out of the house but only with someone accompanying her.
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- Tracy Watson
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Gordon wrote: Tracy
AS of a couple days ago the DWP have finally issued new guidance to take account of "overwhelming psychological distress", however, based on your post would not have been effected by these changes as you are assessing her as being unable to undertake a journey and the associated Descriptors for this were not actually changed.
If she cannot leave the house then she cannot be assessed on her capabilities for following a route as by definition, to follow a route you must be able to go out.
See our PIP Claim guide for more details.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Gordon
Sorry think I wrote that out wrong.
This is what your guide says:
Mobility activities 1. Planning and following journeys. a. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. 0 points. b. Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 4 points. c. Cannot plan the route of a journey. 8 points. d. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. 10 points. e. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 10 points. f. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. 12 points.
My daughter fits "F" is this new rule happening again now with current applications.
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- Gordon
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The issue is not her going out alone but her being unable to follow a route and why this is the case, if this is not due to cognitive or sensory issues then you will need to show that it is "overwhelming psychological distress" that prevents her from doing this and why this is the case.
Gordon
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- Tracy Watson
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Gordon wrote: Tracey
The issue is not her going out alone but her being unable to follow a route and why this is the case, if this is not due to cognitive or sensory issues then you will need to show that it is "overwhelming psychological distress" that prevents her from doing this and why this is the case.
Gordon
Thank you. Can you advise what I need to do/say to prove this? Her psychiatrist letter does state that she extremely dependent on me and suffers from significant social anxiety due to her ASD. She says I need to give her a high level of support. She says my daughter is unable to leave the house without me and that she is unable to follow a familiar or unfamiliar journey by herself.
Is that enough? IT also states similar in her report from her disability advisor at College.
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