No 4 point PIP descriptors results
| Submission ID: 1163341 |
| Date: 2025-04-09 12:49:43 |
| Nickname: Derek Arnold |
| Age: 68 |
| Main health condition: Physical health |
| Main conditions that affect daily living: Lumbar Spondylosis; Arthritis; Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy; Cardiomegaly; Oedema; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Peripheral Neuropathy; Grade 1 Retrolisthesis; Angina; Arterial Hypertension; Obstructive Sleep Apnoea; Type 2 Diabetes. |
| Rate of PIP daily living component: Standard |
| 4 point descriptor score: No |
| Possibility to score at least one 4-point daily living descriptor at the next review: I think it's likely as my condition has worsened to the point where I need more assistance within the home. |
| Tasks you struggle with on a day-to-day basis: Until a year ago, I worked full-time as a teacher at the local college. My back pain worsened. I was signed off work for a year. I had to resign so lost that income so changes to PIP would mean another reduction in my income. I just spent ten days in hospital and am prescribed opioids for pain relief. I live on the first floor and required a specialist team to bring me safely home when discharged from hospital. I cannot now leave my home without assistance. Due to the increased pain (and despite pain relief) I find it much harder to do things I used to do. I cannot stand or walk so even basic kitchen tasks are impossible so I have to change how I manage. I have to limit my cooking to things I can put into the microwave and air fryer. I cannot reach and stretch which makes it impossible to clean and maintain my home. I cannot get into my shower so my personal hygiene suffers. Although I find it embarrassing to discuss, I cannot ignore the fact that toileting is impacted because I cannot twist my torso nor reach sufficiently to ensure I am properly clean. |
| Expected income you will lose if the Green Paper cuts are imposed: To be honest, I have not seen the details of the Green Paper but as my main income is my State Pension, the additional help with living costs are crucial to maintaining a lifestyle that includes the right types of foods required by my health conditions (green vegetables are important for both diabetes and peripheral neuropathy). There are so many overlapping aspects to maintaining one's health. I have never smoked. never consumed alcohol. |
| Expected problems if you tried moving into work, with support from a work coach: I am of retirement age. I used the Access to Work scheme when I found my last job and I worked until my health deteriorated to the point that I can no longer be a productive member of any workforce. I left my job after being signed off for nearly a year and understanding for myself that I could not maintain a regular daily schedule. I'm not bound to a wheelchair but if I could find a job where I could remain seated, I would consider it. However, medical treatments are still being investigated by the hospital so finding an employer with unlimited empathy for medical treatments would be most unlikely. I have previously myself applied to become a Work Coach but I do not play by their rules, which was evident during the screening process. |
| Anything else to tell us: |
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