Grapevine – what we do and how Information and advice provided on any disability related matter. Areas covered include: Edinburgh and East Lothian. Free, confidential, independent and accessible. Phone Helpline: 0131 475 2370, Mon -Thurs 10am - 4pm Email: grapevine@lothiancil.org.uk / Online: www.lothiancil.org.uk Appointments available for disability benefit forms (Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance). Other methods include: outreach talks, information surgeries, publications & newsletter. Grapevine is the Lothian Disability Information Service. We cover - The City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. (West Lothian has its own service – ‘Disability West Lothian’). We provide information on any disability related issue. Today we are going to focus on the disability benefit: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and my colleague Kirstie will talk later about other topics we provide information and advice on. Our service is completely free and confidential. Above is our Helpline opening times and our email/online service addresses. If we can’t answer your enquiry we will signpost you to someone who can. Our Newsletter also available quarterly.

PIP how we can help All aspects of PIP Assessment Process: How to make a claim The claim form How the assessment is carried out Written evidence Face to face assessment Decisions How to ask for a review or appeal What other help or ‘passports’ available. Call Grapevine on 0131 475 2370 or Email: grapevine@lothiancil.org.uk for free, impartial and confidential advice and information on PIP and any disability matter. Grapevine is part of Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCiL)

Grapevine’s TOP TIPS 4 PIP! Get help to fill in the form! If you are not sure about letters from DWP get in touch. If you need an extension with the form, ask. Any existing documents you want to use can be taken into account for the assessment (e.g. prescription lists, medical letters, care plans, etc). Go with someone you know well to the face to face assessment or request a home visit. Request a mandatory reconsideration within 28 days of the decision letter if you’re not satisfied with your award. Be prepared to persevere.

Topics we specialise in Disability Benefits (for adults aged 16+) Benefit reconsiderations and appeals Financial grants and money Access to Transport Community care services Housing and Adaptations Equipment and aids Employment and Education Holidays and Leisure Access Issues Disability Equality and the Law Health and Personal Issues As part of LCiL we are often the first point of call for people and act as a one-stop shop of information and support so disabled people can access their rights and entitlements. This includes initial information on Social Work Services and Self-Directed Support (SDS). Often this will require a referrals onto LCiL’s Independent Living Team for specialist advice and support on the options available, help with individual assessments, setting up packages of care and support and employing Personal Assistants. Other topics Grapevine specialises in includes: Disability Benefits - information on how to claim disability benefits, including advice on entitlement including assistance with claim forms (PIP & Attendance Allowance forms). Checks to make sure people are claiming everything they are entitled to e.g. disability previous and other concessions. If people need help with challenging decisions about their benefits we can also advise. Financial grants and money - heating grants/allowances and trust funds. List of charitable trust funders (e.g. furniture, household goods, disability equipment, holidays and general living costs). This includes accessing financial support via local authority schemes such as the Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments. All aspects of transport, including entitlement to concessions and access to public transport. Disability equipment and adaptations in the home including local suppliers, what is available from the NHS, hire and purchase of aids and adaptations and assessment criteria for equipment and adaptations in the home. Employment and Educational opportunities including Access to Work scheme and pointing people in the direction of the Living and Work Choices course LCiL runs which I have flyers about on the table. Information on education, access to local day and evening classes, support for disabled students and help with funding for studying. Specialist advice on improving access information on the rights of disabled people under The Equality Act . Accessible information and the Scottish Accessible Information Forum (SAIF) standards. Information is available on accessible housing, including local housing suppliers, applying for social housing, renting, buying and supported accommodation. This includes information on support with cleaning, housework, gardening and housing repairs. Other things of interest – Lothian Disability News every quarter which is a free newsletter which has information and updates on a range of disability topics including benefits and services. Outreach talks to groups of disabled people and older people in their local areas so they can find out about latest developments and we can deal with enquiries there and then, either on a collective and individual basis. Publications on services e.g. Private Care Agencies, Accessible Opticians/Dentists and factsheets on a range of issues including how to claim benefits and your rights under legislation in easy read, accessible formats. These can be downloaded for free from our website: www.lothiancil.org.uk or we can send them out in hard copy if you request them. Over the past 21 years we have built up strong connections with local support services and have a wide range of experience in effectively signposting individuals onto other agencies and professionals who can support then to maintain their independence.

The Reliability factor Safety Repeatedly Timely manner Appropriate standard Also taken into account: Help from other people (include physical help as well as encouragement and reminding). Use of aids or adaptations You have to be able to do things ‘reliably’ – this means: -

Daily Living Component Preparing food Taking nutrition Managing therapy/treatment Washing and bathing Toilet needs or incontinence Dressing/undressing Communicating verbally Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words. Engaging with other people face-to-face Making budgeting decisions. There are two parts to PIP. One is the Daily Living Component and the other is the Mobility Component. The Daily Living Component will be assessed on the activities outlined in the slide above. Points will be awarded based on your ability to do these individual activities - whether you require help from other people; if you need to use any aids or equipment and if you can do the activity ‘reliably’, e.g. safely as well as repeatedly and in a timely manner. Some examples might be: Whether you can prepare and cook a meal from scratch. If you need help from another person to manage medication or therapy then you will be awarded points on how often you require this over the course of a week. For example, if you require help to do this for more than 14 hours a week then you should automatically qualify for what’s called the ‘standard rate’ of the Daily Living Component. Another example is managing money and being able to budget for things – e.g. if you require help paying your bills then points will be awarded based on this. I should point out that points will be added up across these 10 activities and a decision made as to whether someone receives the Daily Living Component. If you have care and support needs already and require help with some of these things then you should hopefully qualify for the Daily Living Component.

Mobility Component Planning and following a journey Moving around. This slide states the activities for the Mobility Component of PIP. There are only 2 activities for this component which are planning and following a journey and moving around. Planning and following a journey is assessed in terms of someone’s ability to do this without help e.g. whether you would need someone else to accompany you when going out of your home – this would also include whether you can plan and follow a route to get to where you need to go. Other things to take into account include whether you feel confident about travelling to unfamiliar places independently, e.g. you can manage to get a bus or train yourself to somewhere new. Moving around relates to someone’s physical ability to get around. It will look at whether someone can get around without severe discomfort, e.g. getting out of breath, being very tired and fatigued after moving about, or even if someone’s at risk of falling or stumbling. People who have to use a wheelchair or similar piece of equipment like a walking stick, or require help from another person to move about will most likely be entitled to the Mobility Component. It is important to point out that at present the government have set 20 metres as a benchmark distance for determining whether someone is entitled to the standard or enhanced rate. If you can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres, but no more than 50 metres then you would be entitled to the standard rate. I appreciate this may sound quite complicated and that’s why the government has announced another consultation on the Moving Around activity to clarify the rules and make it clearer for people to understand.

For further information or to access services contact: Questions? For further information or to access services contact: Grapevine c/o LCiL Norton Park 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY Tel: 0131 475 2370 Fax: 0131 475 2392 Email: grapevine@lothiancil.org.uk Check out our regularly updated website: www.lothiancil.org.uk