Change DWP definition of “Journey” in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Legislation and Guidance.

PIP legislation and guidance for Mobility Activity 11 – Planning and Following Journeys uses the concept of “Journey”. This concept is not defined, although judicial ruling (that the DWP seems to ignore) states it cannot be a “Local Journey”. However, vindictively (especially concerning mental health claimants) the DWP are applying in their guidance an interpretation that defines a journey as a simple walk to local shops, even if they are next door the a claimants home; the definition self-developed by the DWP takes no account of distance traveled or mode of travel. This is a callous narrow and wholly unusual definition of Journey.

To support mental health claimants who have panic attacks before or during a journey a legal definition of journey is required. The proposal is the a Journey for the purpose of PIP assessment must involve a vehicular mode of travel (cycle/car/bus/train etc) and be of travel duration or distance which is more than a walk to local facilities such as parade of shops, school, post office etc; for example 30mins or 3 miles whichever is appropriate in the context of the geographic location of the claimant.