Claiming pip

Hi Debbie,
If you can achieve enhanced rate of both daily living and mobility you can get paid some £156 per week. For some people this can allow them to reduce work hours and or do a lesser paid less stressful or demanding job.
This is the maximum award - your disabilities may not amount to enhanced rate/s.

PIP is awarded according to how well ( or not) you can do a set of 10 daily living activities and 2 mobility ones. Please read the members guides for more information if you haven't already done so.
In general, under each descriptor heading you can score points according to the amount of help you need. If some sort of gadget (aid or appliance) will provide sufficient assistance you can score 2 points. Needing physical help from a person is often 4 points, and depending on the descriptor not being able to do the activity with help or a gadget usually gives the highest points.
Points for actual walking ability is based on distance.
In order to work out what the correct level of points should be, you need to consider 4 criteria;
Safety
Reasonable time ( no more than twice the time for non disabled person)
Repetition ie repeatedly across the whole day as many times as reasonably required
Acceptable standard

Safety comprises a risk of substantial harm, even though the likelihood of harm is remote. It could include falls.
Acceptable standard can comprise eg for food preparation burning food, not knowing if the food is raw, spilling stuff all over the kitchen etc, with dressing if you can put clothes on, but clothes are inside out, and you are wearing mismatched shoes, this may not be acceptable. Acceptable standard also comprises pain. If doing the activity produces a reasonable amount of pain, or perhaps this exists before commencing the activity, you will fail to reach an acceptable standard. This can also overlap with safety.
Consider each activity set. Would a gadget be sufficient, or do you need personal help? Is either of these enough to allow you to fulfil ALL 4 criteria? If even a person isn't enough, then for PIP purposes you "can't do the activity''.
If the degree of your disabilities varies, consider what happens for the majority of days.
Remember that if you can't repeat as required across the whole day each time you need to, then that day is a day when you can't do the activity at whatever level is appropriate.
If 2 or more activities in any one descriptor set apply equally, the correct score is the highest value.
Think about each descriptor in the way I have described, and you will see whether you could achieve 8 points for standard, or 12+ for enhanced rate.
If you believe you could get the minimum of 8 points for either or both components then it may be worthwhile claiming PIP. If your own analysis suggests less than 8 points then it is likely your claim wouldn't succeed so there is no point bothering. ( But if your situation changes you can consider claiming at a later date.)

Other options- it seems like your work hours have been reduced. What about other reasonable adjustments? Special equipment, level access, being sited by the disabled toilet, having breaks throughout the day etc are all things that could be considered. Has your employer involved occupational health to do a full workplace assessment? Failing that if you can no longer manage work then you might need to speak to your GP and occupational health to consider early retirement on grounds of ill health. This may allow you to take any work pension early, and might provide a lump sum depending on your pension plan. There may be various options of how you could take your pension. If you decide to take your pension early, get some detailed advice about any pension entitlement perhaps from HR at work, or via a Trade Union adviser or specialist pension adviser. It is really important to have full knowledge of all the possible amounts, as you can easily lose out on a lot of money if you choose a poor deal.
Unfortunately I can't tell you whether or not you should claim PIP but hopefully the information will assist you to make the best decision for you.
Good luck.
LL26

Hi Debbie

Some people work and successfully claim PIP in the workplace or working from home, by showing that although they work, they still need support either with their daily living and/or their mobility under the PIP criteria. We can never say whether anyone will definitely get it, because it depends on individual circumstances and the impact (and a little bit of luck), but from the brief details you have given here, there is no reason why you should not try.

BIS