[2024] UKUT 338 (AAC)

The claimant made a claim for both components of the personal independence payment. The claimant was assessed by a health care professional for the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s decision maker accepted that the claimant has: anxiety and depressive disorders – mixed, carpal tunnel severe left hand, Type 2 diabetes, migraines, osteoarthritis, restless leg syndrome, non-fatty liver and oesophageal duodenitis and psoriasis.

On 28 February 2023, the Secretary of State’s decision maker made a decision awarding two daily living points for needing an aid or appliance for preparing food; two points for taking nutrition: needing an aid or appliance, or supervision from another person to be able to eat and drink, or needing assistance from another person to be able to cut up food; and two points for needing an aid or appliance to wash or bathe. The total of six daily living points was not enough for an award and no daily living award was made by that decision. In the same decision, the Secretary of State’s decision maker gave zero mobility points, and so made no mobility award either.

On 14 April 2023, the Secretary of State’s decision maker made a decision on mandatory reconsideration. The decision gave an additional two points for needing an aid or appliance to manage toilet needs or incontinence. This took the daily living total to eight points. So the decision made an award of the daily living component at the standard rate. The period of the award was from 9 November 2022 to 20 February 2025. The decision maintained the zero mobility points originally awarded, and so confirmed that no mobility component was awarded from 9 November 2022.