Benefits Factsheet Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

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1 Benefits Factsheet Personal Independence Payment (PIP) FACTSHEET N These notes are not a full guide to the law. They are intended as a guide to inform our beneficiaries of the main points with regard to this benefit. For more in depth information please contact the PIP helpline on (calls cost between 1p-10.5p per minute from a landline and will cost more from a mobile phone) or contact your local Jobcentre Plus. Age criteria The Personal Independence Payment replaces Disability Living Allowance for those aged Payments can continue over 65 providing the eligibility criteria are still being met. Qualifying periods You must have met the assessment criteria for PIP for three months prior to your claim and you must be expected to continue to meet the criteria for nine months after your claim. Weekly rates You can receive both daily living and mobility components if criteria for both are met. Payments are made four-weekly in arrears. It is not means-tested so your income and capital will not affect your eligibility. The weekly rates are: Daily Living Component Standard Enhanced Mobility Component Standard Enhanced The application process: 1. There will be an Initial telephone assessment to gather information such as; contact details and date of birth National Insurance number bank or building society details doctor s or health worker s name details of any time you ve spent abroad or in a care home or hospital To start the application process you need to call: (Textphone: ) This number is free from landlines but may be up to 31p per minute from mobile telephones. You can request an initial application form to provide these details by writing to the following address, but this may delay your application: Personal Independence Payment New Claims Post Handling Site B Wolverhampton WV99 1AH 2. If you meet the initial eligibility criteria you will be sent an application form to complete. 3. The completed application form will be reviewed by an independent health professional they may recommend a face-to-face consultation. You will receive a letter advising when and where you need to attend if a face-to-face consultation is recommended. 4. The DWP will review your application and the findings from the independent health professional and will then write to you to advise their decision. Terminal illness The application process is shortened for those with a terminal illness the initial telephone call is still required but the caller (it does not have to be the applicant) should advise the operator that the claim is for someone with a terminal illness so that it can be fast tracked. The required period conditions will not apply and a face-to-face consultation will not usually be necessary, but a form DS1500 must be completed by the applicant s GP or Consultant. If the assessor feels the applicant s death can reasonably be expected within the next six months they will automatically qualify for the higher rate of the Daily Living Component. The Mobility Component can still be claimed but the usual criteria will have to be met as this is not automatically awarded because of terminal illness.

2 FACTSHEET N Completing the application form. It is important to be clear about the difficulties experienced because of your disabilities. Your application will be measured against a set of descriptors which are shown on the pages below. You will be allocated points for each set of descriptors and the total amount of points will decide whether or not you are eligible for PIP. Things to take into account when considering the descriptors: Aids and adaptations the assessment will be based on your ability to carry out the activity whilst wearing or using any aid or appliance which you normally wear or use or as if you were using/wearing an aid/appliance which you could reasonably be expected to wear or use eg; prosthesis, glasses, walking stick Safely the activity must be carried out in a manner unlikely to cause harm to yourself or another person either during or after the completion of the activity Acceptable Standards this is not defined but consideration should be given to whether you have completed the task to the same standard as an able-bodied person. An example is someone who has washed themselves but does not realise that they are still not clean after they have finished. Repeatedly you need to be able to complete the task as often as is reasonably required. If you can do something only very occasionally, then you need to make this clear on the application. An example would be someone who prepares one meal but is so exhausted by the activity they could not prepare another meal that day this is because it is reasonable to expect a person to prepare more than one meal per day. Reasonable time period the activity should take no more than twice the time it would take an able-bodied person to carry out the task. Understanding key words and phrases used in the Descriptors Aided means with the use of an aid or appliance or supervision/prompting/assistance Assistance means physical intervention by another person and does not include speech Basic verbal information means information in your native language conveyed verbally in a simple sentence Basic written information means signs, symbols and dates written or printed in standard size text in your native language Bathe includes getting into or out of an un-adapted bath or shower Communication support means support from a trained or experienced person to interpret verbal information into a non verbal form eg; sign language. If you cannot speak so that other people can understand you, include in your answer any help you receive from friends or family. If you avoid social situations because you can t make yourself understood and do not have anyone to help you, make sure you include this in your answers. Complex budgeting decisions means calculating household and personal budgets, managing and paying bills and planning future purchases. Complex verbal information - means verbal information in your native language of more than one sentence Complex written information means more than one sentence written in standard size text in your native language Cook - means to heat food at or above waist height Dress and undress includes putting on or taking of socks and shoes Engage socially means to interact with others in a contextually and socially appropriate manner; to understand body language and establish relationships Manage incontinence means managing involuntary evacuation of the bowel or bladder, including the use of a collecting device or self-catherisation and clean yourself afterwards.

3 FACTSHEET N Manage medication or therapy means take medication or undertake therapy, where failure to do so is likely to result in a deterioration in your health Medication - means medicine to be taken at home which is prescribed or recommended by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Monitor Health means to detect significant changes in your health condition which is likely to lead to deterioration in your health and taking action advised by a registered doctor, nurse or health professional without which your health is likely to deteriorate Orientation aid means an aid designed to assist disabled people to follow a route safely Prepare in the context of food means to make food ready for cooking or eating Prompting means reminding, encouraging or explaining by another person Psychological distress means distress related to an enduring mental health condition or an intellectual or cognitive impairment Read - does not include Braille. If you use an aid indoors such as a large magnifier which cannot be used when you are outside, write this down if it means you cannot read outside the home. Simple budgeting decisions means decisions involving calculating the cost of goods and calculating the change required after a purchase. Simple meal means a cooked one-course meal for one using fresh ingredients Social Support means support from a person trained or experienced in assisting people to engage in social situations. If you cannot mix with other people without help because you have difficulty understanding them or making yourself understood then include this in your answers. Stand means to stand upright with at least one biological foot on the ground Supervision - means the continuous presence of another person for the purpose of ensuring your safety Take nutrition means cut food into pieces, convey food and drink to your mouth and chew and swallow food and drink or to take nutrition by using a therapeutic source Therapeutic source - means a feeding tube or a rate-limiting device such as a feed pump Therapy - means therapy to be undertaken at home which is prescribed or recommended by a registered doctor, nurse, pharmacist or health professional who is regulated by the Health Professions Council. Toilet needs means getting on and off an unadapted toilet; evacuating the bladder or bowel and cleaning oneself afterwards Unaided means without the use of an aid/appliance or without supervision/prompting/assistance Keeping a Diary If your medical condition and ability to complete tasks varies from day to day it is a good idea to keep a simple diary for a week or two that you can enclose with your application. Make a note of each time you have experienced difficulty or pain when trying to do something and also note any activities you were not able to do at all ie; missed a meal because unable to prepare anything. For example, if describing a walk to the shop, include factors such as pain, dizziness, coughing, spasms, uncontrollable actions or reflexes, breathlessness, angina or asthma attack. If you had to stop and rest, include how long it took you before you felt able to walk again. If you feel there is not enough room on the application to explain how your disability affects you, you can enclose a separate sheet of paper with the additional details you wish to include.

4 Descriptors for Daily Living Component FACTSHEET N Choose the most appropriate statement in each section if more than one statement is appropriate, select the descriptor with the most points. The total points from each section determine your eligibility for the Daily Living Component of PIP The Standard rate requires at least 8 points. The Enhanced rate requires at least 12 points 1. Preparing Food Points a. Can prepare and cook a simple meal unaided 0 b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal 2 c. Cannot cook a simple meal using a conventional cooker but is able to do so using a 2 microwave d. Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal 2 e. Needs supervision or assistance to either prepare or cook a simple meal 4 f. Cannot prepare and cook food 8 2. Taking Nutrition a. Can take nutrition unaided 0 b. Needs i. To use an aid or appliance to be able to take nutrition or ii. Supervision to be able to take nutrition or 2 iii. Assistance to be able to cut up food c. Needs a therapeutic source to be able to take nutrition (eg feeding tube or pump) 2 d. Needs prompting to take nutrition 4 e. Needs assistance to be able to manage a therapeutic source to take nutrition 6 f. Cannot convey food and drink to their mouth and needs another person to do so 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 0 b. Needs either i. To use an aid or appliance to be able to manage medication or ii. Supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage medication or monitor 1 a health condition c. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no 2 more than 3.5 hours a week d. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes 4 more than 3.5 but no more than 7 hours a week e. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes 6 more than 7 hours per week but no more than 14 hours a week f. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes more than 14 hours a week 8 4. Washing and bathing a. Can wash and bathe unaided 0 b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe 2 c. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to wash or bathe 2 d. Needs assistance to be able to wash either their hair or body below the waist 2 e. Needs assistance to be able to get in or out of a bath or shower 3 f. Needs assistance to be able to wash their body between the shoulders and waist 4 g. Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body 8

5 FACTSHEET N 5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence a. Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided 0 b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to manage toilet needs or incontinence 2 c. Needs supervision or prompting to be able to manage toilet needs 2 d. Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs 4 e. Needs assistance to be able to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel 6 f. Needs assistance to be able to be able to manage incontinence of both bladder & bowel 8 6. Dressing and undressing a. Can dress and undress unaided 0 b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to dress or undress 2 c. Needs either i. Prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed or 2 ii. Prompting or assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing d. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their lower body 2 e. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body 4 f. Cannot dress or undress at all 8 7. Communicating Verbally a. Can express and understand verbal information unaided 0 b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear 2 c. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal 4 information d. Needs communication support to express or understand basic verbal information 8 e. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words a. Can read and understand basic and complex written information either unaided or using 0 spectacles or contact lenses b. Needs to use an aid or appliance other than spectacles or contact lenses to be able to 2 read or understand either basic or complex written information c. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information 2 d. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information 4 e. Cannot read or understand signs, symbols or words at all 8 9. Engaging with other people face to face a. Can engage with other people unaided 0 b. Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people 2 c. Needs social support to be able to engage with other people 4 d. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either i. Overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant or 8 ii. The claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person 10. Making budgeting decisions a. Can manage complex budgeting decisions unaided 0 b. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make complex budgeting decisions 2 c. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions 4 d. Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all 6

6 Descriptors for Mobility Component. FACTSHEET N Choose the most appropriate statement in each section if more than one statement is appropriate, select the descriptor with the most points. The total points from each section determine your eligibility for the Mobility Component of PIP The Standard rate requires at least 8 points. The Enhanced rate requires at least 12 points 1. Planning and following journeys Points a. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided 0 b. Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming 4 psychological distress to the claimant c. Cannot plan the route of a journey 8 d. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance 10 dog or orientation aid e. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological 10 distress to the claimant f. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid Moving around a. Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided 0 b. Can stand and then move more than 50 meters but no more than 200 metres, 4 either aided or unaided c. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 8 metres d. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no 10 more than 50 metres e. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either 12 aided or unaided f. Cannot stand or move more than 1 metre, either aided or unaided 12 Motability Scheme - Transitional protection for those who previously received the Disabled Living Allowance for Mobility but do not qualify for the PIP Mobility Component DLA will continue for four weeks after the PIP decision and Motability will allow the vehicle to be kept for a further 3 weeks from the date the DLA payments end giving almost two months to help make alternative vehicle arrangements. Customers will need to return the car to the dealership in good condition and within the agreed timeframe to qualify for the transitional support. Customers who entered their first Motability lease agreement before January 2013 will receive transitional support of 2,000. Customers who entered their first Motability lease agreement after January 2013 but before December 2013 will receive transitional support of 1,000.