PIP - preparing food - reliability

Hi Jim,
Thank you for your post. If I am correct you are saying that you don't have problems for 90% of the time whilst cooking, because you have your mum with you. Or have I got this wrong? What happens on the remaining 10% of time?

let me explain how PIP works- as you probably know, there are various activities, subdivided into differeing points' values. Preparing Food comprises cooking a one course meal for one person, using fresh ingredients. So, this would perhaps be peeling/chopping vegetables, cooking a piece of meat, making gravy etc. Timing the food to get everything done to serve up together is important, as well as recognising that meat is cooked - clearly if this is chicken there is a potential hazard if the meat is still raw. Reading packets can also be important.
In addition, as with all PIP activities, every thing has to be done safely, to an aceptable standard, within a reasonable time, and repeated as required across the day. You will need to show that you have difficulties within each activity for over 50% of the time.
Sometimes two or more PIP activities in a section will apply. If they apply for the same amount of time, and this is more than 50%, then the higher value shold be awarded.
Sometimes you might have different difficulties across te week, so for example, you might need prompting to cook for 2 days, and then be ok for that, but for 2 more days you might to use an aid/appliance. Neither activity alone comprises 50%, but when added together they do! The rules stipulate that here the higher points value will apply as the 2 activities affect you the same amount of time. If however, one activity caused diffciulties only on one day, and another activity caused difficulties on 3 other days, then the correct points' value would be awarded for the one that caused problems for the 3 days, irrespective of whether that was higher or lower in value.

I return to my orignal point - If you are saying that 90% of the time you have no problem, without mum being present, then I am concerned that no descriptor activity applies, because problems only occur for 10% which hasn't reached the threshold. If what you are actually saying is that 90% of the time there is no problem because mum is present, then that would satisfy the 50%+ rule. Prompting comprises encouraging, reminding, giving instructions etc. Supervision means constant presence to ensure safety. Assistance is physical intervention but not speech.

I notice that you have explained that you can get panicked and burn yourself, but also that you use the wrong heat setting, and things don't cook properly. Is this more a case of reminding etc or isthis sufficient to amount to supervison/assistance needed for 50%+? I am not sure, but there might be more of an explanation you could provide if you wished to satisfy DWP.

Unfortunately, you haven't told us at what stage your PIP claim is. It is possible that you could make a Mandatory Reconsideration or appeal to the tribunal, but there is a risk involved in making any form of MR or appeal. If you already have a PIP award it is possible, though unlikely that this could all be reviewed and the award gets removed or downgraded. (So you need to think about what maybe at stake. Of course, if you have insufficient points to give you an award, then you have nothing to lose in proceding with MR or appeal.
However, (here comes the but!) if the only extra points you think you might get are to upgrade from 2 points for needing prompting to prepare food, to achieve 4 points for requiring supervision/assistance to prepare food, then you still may not have enough to either entitle you to the standard rate of daily living, or to permit enhanced rate to be paid if you have the standard rate already. In both these cases whilst you might gain the extra points, it will be a hollow victory as your benefit rate, (if any) will not go up!
If you haven't already done so, have a look at the members guides. They have a lot of information, and will explain more about each descriptor, and appeals etc. Here is the link:
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip#claims

I hope this helps!

LL26

Hello Jim,

I am assuming from your post that
1. You need prompting to prepare and cook a simple meal.
2. If the person who prompted you to do so does not remain in the room there is a 10% chance of you having an accident of some type?
To prove straight forward reliability you have to not be able to do something safely for more than 50% of the time. Clearly, if I have understood you correctly this does not apply to you.

There is however a caveat to this rule which takes into consideration the potential danger that such an accident could happen. So to take extreme examples, if you were always left alone in the kitchen is there a 10% chance of the food being burnt and you needing to remove the very top layer to make it edible, or is there a 10% chance that you would set the house alight and be unable to evacuate the property and call the fire brigade.

I think the other point you need to consider before taking on the challenging task of trying to prove that you need supervision is whether or not you can reliably use a microwave. If you can do so, even if you would prefer to preparing food using raw ingredients, you only get the 2 points you have already been awarded for needing prompting. (And unfortunately you cannot add the two lots of 2 points together to get 4).

I hope that helps
Catherine