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My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)

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6 years 6 months ago #197076 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)

Hayley wrote: Hi Gordon, thanks for your reply. I'm aware of what I'm writing on the form now, but I'm panicking about a F2F. Specifically if they ask me if I use a satnav.

Thanks. :)


They won't, the Satnavs that you can by on the high street or are fitted to a car are not classed as an aid in regard to PIP, it has to be a specialist unit, but even if this was the case they will not ask you to prove that you use any aid.

Gordon

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6 years 6 months ago #197081 by Hayley
Replied by Hayley on topic My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)
Thanks Gordon. I'm worried they'll class the ability to use a satnav as a way of following a journey unaided, since they don't count as aids.

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6 years 6 months ago #197091 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)

Hayley wrote: Thanks Gordon. I'm worried they'll class the ability to use a satnav as a way of following a journey unaided, since they don't count as aids.


A Satnav removes the need for the claimant to do any navigation, so it will not be considered.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Hayley

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6 years 5 months ago #199018 by Hayley
Replied by Hayley on topic My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)
Hello again! I'm basically in the eleventh hour for getting my PIP form back. I got an extension for the 20th of October, but was told to get it sent off by the 10th because it's taking them 10 days to process forms, but I don't see how that's my fault so long as they receive it before the new deadline, but I'll be calling tomorrow for clarification on this.

My question is about the parameters of the "Moving around" question, which goes into a claimant's ability to walk a certain distance, or at all. I know that moving through pain is not moving to an acceptable standard, but I don't know if this applies to me.

What I mean is, I can walk more than 200 metres. I'm not at risk of falling, or passing out
or because the pain is intolerable or anything. However, every single step I take hurts. I don't mean pain due to more normal causes, like muscular, nerve, bone, etc conditions, but because the skin on my feet is so tight and dry, no matter how much moisturiser I apply. It's like the dryness is below the skin, so it's always hurting when I flex my feet. In addition to the pain, walking also makes my feet itch intensely, to the point I tear the skin off by scratching it with my full strength. My partner or mum have to do it for me because at the time, all I care about is stopping the itch, so don't care about the damage I'm doing. In addition to this, I can't walk on my feet after going out for the day for a few days afterwards, because they're too sore. I'm not bedridden however, I still move around the house unaided, but it hurts a lot to do this so I limit moving around as much as possible.

All of this happens if I say, drive to the supermarket and then walk around it without any aids or assistance. I suppose if I were in a wheelchair, I wouldn't be flexing my feet and the pain wouldn't be nearly as much as a problem. My doctor just told me to take paracetamol for pain relief when walking when I asked if there were any mobility aids for me due to my feet. This did nothing. I don't feel I can say if one would help me though as I've never tried, I can only assume so. Either way, I doubt my 2001 Ford Focus could accommodate such an item anyway.

So my question is, where does it sound like I belong in regards to moving around? I can do it, but not without extreme pain, discomfort and itching. Even a single step causes these problems but I get even longer-lasting problems if I go out at all, which would be the only time I walk for say, more than 20 metres.

Also, I know I need to "show" the pain I'm in. Without some device to test pain levels and print out to provide as evidence, I'm not sure I'm supposed to show. People have different pain tolerance levels, I don't see how I can gauge this beyond describing how it feels as best as possible. Is that sufficient?

Thank you! :)

Short version since I write a lot:

1) Does processing time impact on the deadline that it actually needs to reach DWP by?

2) I can walk more than 200 metres, but it causes pain, discomfort and itching, followed by skin damage I need help with to minimise this damage. It also means I can't go out again that day, or for a day or two afterwards, due to soreness in my feet. I can walk around the house however, though it hurts more than the regular pain so I limit this as much as possible. Does it sound like I would qualify for struggling to walk?

3) If so, how do I "show" the pain I'm in? Thanks again. :)

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6 years 5 months ago #199036 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)
HAyley

To answer your questions.

1. You need to have your claim form returned by the required date, as you surmised, you do not need to take account of any delays that the DWP might have in their system.

2. You are not required to complete any of the PIP activities pain free, however, any pain that limits your ability to complete the action should be taken into account. Specifically for the Moving Around activity, if you can show that you are in severe pain then you can argue that you are unable to walk to a necessary standard.

I can't advise on the specifics of your walking problems but you do not describe it as severe pain and you appear to be able to walk more than 200m without having to stop.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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6 years 5 months ago #199053 by Hayley
Replied by Hayley on topic My PIP claim (ADHD, eczema, social anxiety)
Hi Gordon, thanks for replying.

1) Thanks, I thought as much. :)

2) I don't have to stop due to pain, but I do sometimes have to stop due to extreme itching and discomfort so that I can carry on. I can walk through the pain but apparently that doesn't count as being able to walk to a necessary standard? www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2016/jul...-acceptable-standard

I also thought that it wasn't just about a person's ability to complete an activity, but to be able to do so reliably. According to the PIP guide from B&W:

Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person.
• To a necessary and acceptable standard – given the nature of the activity.
Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a reasonable time period no more than twice as long as a person without a physical or mental health condition would take to carry out the activity


So in relation to those I've bolded:

Safely: I argue that it hurts a lot to take a step, but that doesn't mean I can't physically move my feet. It also causes considerable discomfort as I've explained previously.

Repeatedly: I argue that I can not walk for any distance required outside, come home, then do it again like how I used to be able to when my skin condition didn't affect my feet. I simply can't. My feet are too sore, itchy and painful to do this. It takes a day or two before I can walk again and it still hurts then as well.

I know I didn't use the exact wording "severe pain". This is because I feel I have a low pain tolerance and guilt over feeling it because some people are probably in much worse pain than I am, but as I've never felt pain from other chronic conditions, I don't know. It hurts a lot to me, that's all I know.

I can walk 200m without stopping yes, but as I said not to PIP standards as it hurts the whole time, causes lasting problems which mean I can't repeat the task to the usual standard.

Thanks for reading and your reply. I just want to know if my arguments sound like they will hold weight with DWP. :)

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