[2025] UKUT 153 (AAC)

The relevant activity in this case is managing toilet needs, and specifically managing cleaning oneself after using the toilet, under Activity 5. An impaired function in being unable to reach one’s bottom to clean would be relevant. An impaired function in dexterity which made it impossible to handle toilet paper would be relevant. All of those are impairments to a function of a claimant which affects her ability to carry out the particular activity.

In this case, there was no relevant impaired function. The claimant had no mental or physical limitation with the act of cleaning herself. She could have cleaned herself without difficulty. A propensity to infection does not affect the claimant’s ability to manage cleaning herself. The matters which the parties in this case contend were ‘impaired functions’ have no connection to the relevant activity, and are therefore not capable of amounting to a relevant ‘impaired function’ for the purposes of the definition of ‘aid’. The application of the definition of ‘aid’ in these circumstances falls at the first hurdle.