1. Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Charlton Park Academy
Sara Johnson and Theresa Andrews
Parent Support

2. What is Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
PIP is the benefit that replaces DLA (Disability Living Allowance)
DLA is the benefit paid for children under 16.
Once the child is 16 you will need to claim PIP instead
This is the case even if your child has an lifetime or indefinite award for DLA
This is not automatic. DWP will contact you to invite you to make a new claim as the child approaches 16.
When you receive a letter from DWP you will need to make a claim for PIP within 4 weeks otherwise your benefit will stop. You can ring the PIP hotline to request an extension if required

3. Conditions of entitlement
You can apply for PIP if:
There is a qualifying period of 12 months – called required period condition to establish whether the condition is long term.
You have to be present in GB and habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and not subject to immigration control.
You must have been present in the GB for 104 out of 156 weeks.

4. How to prepare for PIP assessment – the process
You do not need to do anything to start with. DWP will contact you if you are already an existing DLA claimant.
It is termed as an “invitation to claim”. You will need the decide whether to claim.
You cannot remain on DLA and there is no entitlement to PIP even if there is an indefinite or lifetime award.
You cannot get DLA and PIP at the same time.

5. How to prepare for the telephone call.
You will required to have the following ready: Full name of person claiming PIP, NI No. Full address including postcode, DOB, bank or building society details, daytime contact number, GP or health details, any recent stays in hospital, nationality and immigration status, details of being abroad. Anything else you feel would be useful.
At the beginning there are a series of security questions. Other people can speak for you with your permission. Remember the benefit is for the student and make it clear if the student has communication difficulties.
Appointees must telephone to make the claim if the young person is not able to speak for themselves.
After the telephone call you are then sent the PIP application form.

6. PIP process - contd
Assessment delivered by an assessment provider working in partnership with DWP
Sometimes decisions are made by looking at the written application form, but sometimes people are asked to attend a face to face consultation with a health professional to consider the evidence provided.
The assessment looks at people as individuals and how their condition affects their every day life
The health professional sends a report back to the DWP.
You can request a copy of the report. PLEASE DO THIS
The face to face consultation can take place in a designated centre or can take place in the claimants own home.
The claimant can take someone along to the consultation to support. This can be anyone they wish.

7. How PIP is worked out There are two parts to PIP Daily Living Mobility
You get money for one or both parts of PIP
The amount you get is based on specific criteria around how well you carry out certain “everyday activities”

8. Standard and Enhanced
For each part you get the standard rate if your scores add up to between 8 and 11 points.
For each part, you will get the enhanced rate if your scores add up to 12 points or more.

9. Daily Living Part Activities include:
Preparing food
Eating and drinking
Managing your treatments
Washing and bathing
Managing your toilet needs
Dressing and undressing
Communicating
Reading
Mixing with other people, and
Making decisions with money

10. Mobility Part activities include
Going out
Moving around

11. Reliability Criteria – to bear in mind!
PIP has something a Reliability criteria, and each activity has four components which must be satisfied:
Activities need to be carried out Safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time.
Activities must be performed safely so they must be carried out in a safe manner with no danger to the person performing the activity.
Activities must be completed to a acceptable standard. Must be done to an acceptable standard that would be reasonable to most people.
Activities should be able to be done repeatedly i.e. if you can make breakfast but it exhausts you and you are unable to make lunch.
Activities must be completed in a reasonable time. This means not more than twice as long the maximum period of a person without an impairment or health condition would normally take. i.e walking up the stairs would take a fit and healthy person a few minutes. However for someone with a disability this could take up to an hour.

12. For each activity there is a list of descriptors
These look at how much support you need to do certain things and the type of support needed.
Each descriptor has a point score.
Go from the bottom up when deciding on a descriptor!

13. Activity 1 – Preparing food
A. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided Score 0
B. Needs to use an aid or applicance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. Score 2.
C. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a microwave. Score 2.
D. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. Score 2.
E. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal. Score 4.
F. Cannot prepare and cook food. Score 8.

14. Activity 2. Taking nutrition
A. Can take nutrition unaided. Score 0
B. Needs either (i) to use an aid or appliance to be able to take nutrition, or (ii) supervision to be able to take nutrition, or (iii) assistance to be able to cut up food. Score 2.
C. Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition. Score 2.
D. Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. Score 4.
E. Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition. Score 6.
F. Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so. Score 10.

15. Activity 3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
A. Either (i) does not receive medication or therapy or need to monitor a health condition; or (ii) can manage medication or therapy or monitor a health condition unaided. Score 0.
B. Needs any one of the following (i) to use an aid or applicance to be able to manage medication; (ii) supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to monitor a health condition. Score 1.
C. Needs supervision, prompting, or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours. Score 2.
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. Score 4.
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. Score 6.
F. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week. Score 8.

16. Activity 4. Washing and Bathing
Can wash and bathe unaided. Score 0.
Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe. Score 2.
Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bath. Score 2.
Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below their waist. Score 2.
Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower. Score 3.
Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist. Score 4.
Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. Score 8.

17. Activity 5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence.
A. Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided. Score 0.
B. Needs to use an aid or applicance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence. Score 2.
C. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs. Score 2.
D. Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. Score 4.
E. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence or either bladder or bowel. Score 6.
F. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel. Score 8.

18. Activity 6. Dressing and undressing
A. Can dress and undress unaided. Score 0.
B. Needs to use an aid or an applicance to be able to dress or undress. Score 2.
C. Needs either (i) prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed; or (ii) prompting or assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing. Score 2.
D. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body. Score 2.
E. Needs assistance to be able to undress their upper body. Score 4.
F. cannot dress or undress at all. Score 8.

19. Activity 7. Communicating verbally
A. Can express and understand verbal information unaided. Score 0.
B. Needs an aid or an applicance to be able to speak or hear. Score 2.
C. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. Score 4.
D. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. Score 8.
E. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. Score 12.

20. Activity 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. Score 0.
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. Score 2.
C. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information. Score 4.
D. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information. Score 4.
E. Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all. Score 8.

21. Activity 9. Engaging with other people face to face.
A. Can engage with other people unaided. Score 0.
B. Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people. Score 2.
C. Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. Score 4.
D. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either (i) overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or (ii) the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. Score 8.

22. Activity 10. Making budgeting decisions
A. Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided. Score 0.
B. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make budgeting decisions. Score 2.
C. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions. Score 4.
D. Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. Score 6.

23. Mobility Activities and Descriptors Activity 1
Mobility Activities and Descriptors Activity 1. Planning and following journeys
A. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. Score 0
B. Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. Score 4
C. For reasons other than psychological distress, cannot plan the route of a journey. Score 8
D. For reasons other than psychological distress, cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid. Score 10
E. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. Score 10
F. For reasons other than psychological distress, cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. Score 12

24. Activity 2. Moving Around
A. Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. Score 0
B. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. Score 4
C. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. Score 8
D. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. Score 10
E. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. Score 12
F. Cannot, either aided or unaided, (i) stand; or (ii) move more than 1 metre

25. Tips for completing PIP
Look at the worst day rather than the best when completing the paperwork
Remember sometimes the Impact of disability and health conditions can fluctuate.
You have to be affected by your disability and impairment more than 50 of the days in the year i.e. the majority of the time.
It is important that you state this after each activity descriptor (“This is true of……. For the majority of the time”)
As mentioned earlier… go from the bottom up when deciding which descriptor best fits how an activity is completed.
Supervision is also important and needs to be made clear. This can be around eating food, taking medication. Getting dressed. Even if they don’t take medication, do not disregard this. Could they do this without support if they had to?
Use the four reliability criteria, could they do this safely, acceptably, repeatedly, and reasonably.

26. Evidence Required
From other health professionals including GP, Social worker, Physio, SALT, Paediatrician, care treatment plans. Anything to do with the disability. These must be copies and not originals.
You will need details of medication or up to date prescription list.
Any details of professionals to contact. You can use either of us, but we need to know what you have written on the PIP application form in case we are contacted by an assessment service acting for DWP.
Keep a copy of what you send.

27. Moving Around
Mobility does not just mean the physical ability to walk. It also encompasses planning a journey using the four reliability criteria. i.e. going to the shops – can this be done safely, acceptably, repeatedly, and reliably.
Being outside in the community can cause distress if the young person has sensory issues. Make sure that you mention this, if applicable, and that it can cause issues around safety if the young person is distracted by noises, traffic etc.

28. Other things to bear in mind
Daily living component of PIP ceases to be payable after 28 days of residency in a care homes as they are being looked after using public funding
The mobility section of PIP continues to be paid
Any change of circumstances need to be reported by ringing
These could be around level of support required, change in times taken to undertake activities due to improved or decline in health needs. admission to a care home, hospital or hospice, a residential school or college, foster care or LA care.

29. Access to other benefits
Provides a gateway to other benefits
You are eligible to apply for a Blue Badge (if you get enhanced PIP) However this is complicated and not straightforward
If you get 0 points for Moving Around but for 12 for Planning and Following a Journey acquiring a Blue Badge can be difficult.
You can also access carers allowance, housing benefit, council tax reductions. Information is shared to enable claimants to maximise their access to benefits. However you should advise your own benefit office about the PIP award.
Welfare Rights Service

30. What we can do.
We are keen that your young person is awarded the correct amount of PIP to begin with, so that we do not have to help you to appeal their claim.
Please come and see us if you need any help. But please try and fill in as much as you can, either in pencil on the form, or on a separate piece of paper. Do not wait until a few days before the form needs to be in.
Our aim is to support you in completing the PIP form.