Zero points in PIP assessment

Hi Jonathan T,
I think what you have written is pretty good, but I'm going to suggest a few tweaks, which might make your letter more punchy.
Don't say I believe I should get X points, be assertive. Just say I should get X points.
Don't you the word often sometimes or at times it means nothing! PIp points are awarded if you can't perform the activity for the majority of days - 'often' etc is too vague.. If you really can't do the activity for the majority of days then you can't do the activity. So you can either say 'I can't do X' or you could say ,' I can't do X for the majority of days...'.
Words like 'I struggle' could be interpreted by DWP as 'its difficult but I can do...'
It s much better to write things like
'I lack motivation to cook because. ..' t
So, from the first descriptor
" I lack the ability to get organised to carry out tasks, because I find it extremely difficult to break down a task into a sequence of steps to follow. I see it as one daunting thing.
• Due to depression I lack motivation to prepare and cook a meal.
• I need someone to remind me to check that food is not burning as I get easily distracted or lose track of time.

The rest of prepare is OK but don't say you live at home and that your Mum cooks food, It is better to say I can not cook and prepare a simple meal without assistance, otherwise DWP will just say not having learnt how to cook dies not give rise to PIP points.No need to add you make a sandwich.

Other words such as 'I easily get distracted' again gives DWP to argue no points. Just say 'i get distracted
Again things like My family will attempt [ to help me plan or follow a journey] just say my family has to take me along the route before I can go own my own so that [ provide explanation].
Can you supply some more examples?
Maybe Mum was out and about somewhe and you tried to cook and everything went horribly wrong? Maybe you got terribly panicky because you were lost when Dad couldn't give you a lift somewhere?
Perhaps, you upset someone who thought you were being very rude because they didn't understand you? Maybe it nearly led to a fight, or maybe you were upset and really embarrassed when you realised how badly you had misunderstood the situation?
If these sorts of things have happened, or similar events then to give an example makes everything more real for DWP. One or two examples for each descriptor should suffice.

You may also wish to consider 4 vital criteria. (All need to be satisfied, but they may not necessarily all apply to your difficulties.)
Safely
Repeatedly
In a reasonable time (no more than twice that of non-disabled person)
Acceptable standard

More about these criteria can be found in the Members Guides.
Safely - this may apply eg if you burn food or yourself
Repeatedly- may not apply- you need to be able to do each activity several times per day as required
Time- eg if you take too long to follow a route, or to understand a conversation , or choose the right clothes
Acceptable standard- this can link with safety- if food is burnt it's not cooked acceptably, raw food may not be safe or acceptable . If you are eg always rude or behave inappropriately with people, then you might not be communicating ir engaging with people to an acceptable standard.
Hence you might want to add to your comments, say under Food preparation either as a first ir final bullet point
Eg • I can not cook safely, and to an acceptable standard
Or perhaps, if at the end of the section
• the above difficulties provide clear evidence that I can not prepare and cook a simple meal safely, and within a reasonable
On the whole you have written a good letter .Well done. I know this can not have been easy.
LL26

Hi pomaus

Spot on with your analogy.

Gary

Be careful using the term "reliably", whilst it is used in the forum and in the B&W guides it has no legal standing in regard to PIP as it does not appear in the legislation.

Stick to the legally defined terms;

(a)safely;
(b)to an acceptable standard;
(c)repeatedly; and
(d)within a reasonable time period

Gordon