No 4 point PIP descriptors results
| Submission ID: 1164745 |
| Date: 2025-04-10 11:26:55 |
| Nickname: Sallie |
| Age: 50 |
| Main health condition: Both physical and mental health |
| Main conditions that affect daily living: Hypermobile EDS Post Covid Syndrome Depression Anxiety Post Exertional Malaise Postural Tachycardia Syndrome |
| 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: Not very. I believe I was wrongly scored at my assessment but was too ill and didn't have the energy to challenge it. In hindsight, I should have challended it. |
| Tasks you struggle with on a day-to-day basis: I struggle with taking a shower or washing because of frequent dislocations, pain, unable to bend or wash my hair, high heart rate, fainting and mobility. I struggle getting dressed again for the same reasons. I struggle with cooking unsupervised because I cannot stand for more than a minute or so without my heart rate rocketing and feeling faint and dizzy, sometimes fainting or having to lie on the floor. I struggle with cooking due to fatigue, hand weakness, thumb dislocations. I am unable to carry a pan.. I mostly subsist on takeout or meals made for me. I might attempt to cook once or twice a week but under supervision so I don't injure or burn myself, should I faint or drop pans or bowls and such from weakness in my hands. I work almost full time from home at the moment but there is a push to get back into the office. I would be unable to walk to the bus stop as I cannot walk very far, up to 100ft on a good day, possible 5 - 6 ft on a bad day, due to mobility issues, pain and ankle and hip instability. I was scored at a 10 for this for mobility but I use part of my daily care if I need to get into the office as low rate mobility would not cover taxi fares to get into the office. I do not drive. I would be unable to traverse public transport due to pain, mobility issues, POTS symptoms (should I be required to stand on public transport and noone will get up if you have an invisible disability). If i was required to go to somewhere I hadn't been before I would be unable to get there as I am unable to plan unfamiliar journeys as the cognitive affects from Covid have caused me to be able to reason things like that out or even retain the information for more than a few minutes. I struggle with work as I have to write everything down. I am using aids for work such as speech to text apps as I have nerve damage in my hands and frequent dislocations because my hands are unstable. I have to write everything down and set reminders for work tasks as I struggle to retain information. I am unable to do my shopping in a supermarket as it creates extreme fatigue, PEM and I find it very hard to walk around a supermarket because of the mobility issues and pain, so have to get deliveries online. I may go out once a month, with my mother but do not go anywhere without supervision. Social anxiety can be a problem when i'm out but most worrying is my POTS symptoms which can make me faint. I cannot stand in queues for payments or to wait for something, I have to sit down a lot due to breathlessness from long covid when I'm out, along with the pain and mobility issues. Then after the rare trip out I will certainly suffer with post exertional malaise which can make me completely unable to even get out of bed for days or more. |
| Expected income you will lose if the Green Paper cuts are imposed: £73.90 per week |
| Expected problems if you tried moving into work, with support from a work coach: I do work but I don't think that a work coach could support me to be able to do the things I am unable to do. Financial help does enable me to do the things I cannot do with help with transport costs, buying aids and basically making sure I can buy things i need which may be more expensive because they're a medical aid. |
| Anything else to tell us: I think that the PIP application needs to be updated. Such things as being unable to wash or dress below the waist are surely more detrimental than not being unable to wash or dress above the waist. Not being able to wash below the waist can make someone susceptible to infections, smell, be unable to dress in approptiate attire. Should you be incontinent then how would you clean yourself. Having to have help to get on and off the toilet - these need to be a 4 scoring descriptor. Surely if you cannot wash above the waist then washing your hair would be in that scope too. PIP is supposed to be an help for people in work as well as those out of it. Getting rid of PIP for those who do not score a 4 in any one of the daily living elements but score highly across the 2's and 3's is wrong, some people will lose their jobs because they don't have the support required. These people are disabled enough to require care and support and some will use their PIP to pay for carers. |
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