Anyone need help with applications for PIP, DLA, AA ?

It is sometimes quite challenging taking clients through the forms over the phone, especially those who struggle to read them, for whatever reason. But the majority are incredibly grateful.

Just done some research on PIP - personal independence payment - to make sure my info on the eligibility criteria are up to date, as they change from time to time.

The first thing to say about PIP is that it’s working age, tax free allowance which is not means tested and is designed to cover some of the extra costs of living with a disability. You can claim it if you are aged between 16 and 66. It does not overlap with any other benefit and can attract disability premiums on other benefits, so if you are awarded PIP, the DWP will notify you of any extra premiums you may be entitled to.

There are two categories to PIP - Daily Living component, which assesses your ability to carry out a range of activities, and Mobility component, which assesses your ability to move around. There are two rates payable in each category - standard and enhanced. To be eligible for the standard rate of either category, you need to score between 8 and 11 points and for the enhanced rate it’s 12 points or more. To be clear, these are not combined scores, you must score the minimum points for eligibility in each of the two separate categories. To be eligible for the Motability Scheme you must be in receipt of the enhanced rate of mobility component. Someone who looks after you can claim Carers Allowance if you receive either the standard or enhanced rate of the PIP Daily Living component. See the post on AA above for eligibility conditions for Carers Allowance and rules on carers’ income/benefits.

Here is a rundown of the eligibility criteria in each category, along with the points they score – to avoid an overly long post I’ll end this one with the eligibility conditions and then post again with advice on how to complete the application.

DAILY LIVING

1. Preparing Food

a. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided. 0 points
b. Needs an aid/appliance to either prepare/cook a simple meal. 2 points.
c. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. 2 points
d. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points
e. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. 2 points
f. Cannot prepare and cook food. 8 points

2. Taking nutrition

a. Can take nutrition unaided. 0 points
b. Needs to either use an aid or appliance to be able to take nutrition, or supervision to be able to take nutrition, or assistance to be able to cut up food. 2 points

c. Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition. 2 points
d. Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. 4 points
e. Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition. 6 points
f. Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so for them. 10 points

3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition

a. Either does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided. 0 points
b. Needs either to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage medication; or supervision, prompting/assistance to be able to manage medication or monitor a health condition. 1 point
c. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. 2 points
d. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week. 4 points
e. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 7 but no more than 14 hours a week. 6 points
f. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. 8 points

4. Washing and bathing

a. Can wash and bathe unaided. 0 points
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe. 2 points
c. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe. 2 points
d. Needs assistance to wash either their hair, or body below the waist. 2 points
e. Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower. 3 points
f. Needs assistance to wash their body between the shoulders and waist.4 points
g. Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. 8 points.

5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence

5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence
a. Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided. 0 points
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence. 2 points
c. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs. 2 points
d. Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. 4 points
e. Needs assistance to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel. 6 points
f. Needs assistance to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel 8 points

6. Dressing and undressing

a. Can dress and undress unaided. 0 points
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to dress or undress. 2 points
c. Needs either prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed; or prompting/assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing. 2 points
d. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body.2 points
e. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body. 4 points
f. Cannot dress or undress at all. 8 points

7. Communicating verbally

a. Can express and understand verbal information unaided. 0 points
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. 2 points
c. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. 4 points
d. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. 8 points
e. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. 12 points

8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words

a. Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using spectacles or contact lenses. 0 points
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance, other than spectacles or contact lenses, to be able to read or understand either basic or complex written information. 2 points
c. Needs prompting to read or understand complex written information. 2 points
d. Needs prompting to read or understand basic written information. 4 points
e. Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. 8 points

9. Engaging with other people face to face

a. Can engage with people face to face unaided. 0 points
b. Needs prompting to be able to engage with other 2 people. 2 points
c. Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. 4 points
d. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. 8 points

10. Making budgeting decisions

a. Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided. 0 points
b. Needs prompting or assistance to make complex budgeting decisions. 2 points
c. Needs prompting or assistance to make simple budgeting decisions. 4 points
d. Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. 6 points

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

2. Moving around

a.Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. 0 points
b. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided 4 points
c. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 8 points
d. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 10 points
e. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. 12 points
f. Cannot, either aided or unaided, stand or move more than 1 metre.12 points

Pammie1 - thank you SO much for posting this - what a thoughtful kind lady you are - Gransnet at it's finest. I'm currently WFH and have 88 yr old MIL staying with us for a few days. Came on here to see if there is anything she can get help with - lives alone independantly and has a stair lift, handles and chair for shower etc. She can just about manage to look after herself (everything takes so long though lol) however we spend such a lot of time visiting, making sure she is okay, bringing her here (she thinks of it as a little holiday bless her). The problem is, she is very, very proud and will not admit that she needs help. She has had several bad falls (not recently though), and when we're not with her we are worrying about her. DH is reducing his hours this month - sort of semi retirement, so that he can spend more time with her and it would be lovely to think that she/he could claim something to make her life a bit easier. She has only the state pension and lives comfortably but very frugally.

Don't even know why I posted all this - just wanted to 'say out loud' what I am thinking, and I know that I can do that with all you lovely grans lending a sympathetic ear