PIP managing toilet needs: how to describe your difficulties
A calm, practical guide to the PIP managing toilet needs activity (Question 7 on the PIP2 form). Understand what the DWP is looking for, how to describe your difficulties with toileting and incontinence, and see example notes. This is reference-only and not legal, medical, or benefits advice.
What this activity covers
Activity 5 on the PIP assessment covers your ability to get on and off a standard toilet, use it, and clean yourself afterwards. It also covers managing incontinence, including using pads, catheters, stoma bags, and cleaning up after accidents.
“Toilet needs” in PIP terms means getting on and off an unadapted toilet, evacuating your bladder and bowel, and cleaning yourself afterwards. “Incontinence” means involuntary loss of bladder or bowel control. The two are scored separately, with incontinence attracting higher points.
This activity does not include finding a toilet, getting to the toilet (that falls under mobility), or undressing to use it (that falls under dressing and undressing). It is specifically about the act of using the toilet and managing any continence issues.
This is one of the most sensitive topics on the PIP form, and many people feel embarrassed describing their difficulties. The assessor deals with these questions every day. Being honest and specific about your needs is essential to getting the right score.
How the DWP scores this activity
You are matched to the one descriptor that applies for more than half of the time. Notice how incontinence descriptors score higher than general toilet needs.
| Descriptor | Points |
|---|---|
| Can manage toilet needs or incontinence unaided | 0 |
| Needs to use an aid or appliance to manage toilet needs or incontinence | 2 |
| Needs supervision or prompting to manage toilet needs | 2 |
| Needs assistance to manage toilet needs | 4 |
| Needs assistance to manage incontinence of either bladder or bowel | 6 |
| Needs assistance to manage incontinence of both bladder and bowel | 8 |
The distinction between “toilet needs” (4 points) and “incontinence” (6 or 8 points) is important. If you have incontinence, make sure you describe it as such rather than just saying you need help with the toilet.
Writing your notes for this activity
Examples: describing toilet needs difficulties
Below are examples of how you might describe your difficulties with this activity. These are for illustration only and should not be copied into your own form. Always describe your own experience.
“I have a raised toilet seat and grab rails because I cannot lower myself onto a standard toilet or get up again without them. I can manage during the day with these aids, but I struggle to clean myself properly because I cannot reach behind me. I use wet wipes instead of toilet paper but I am still not always clean enough. At night I use a commode next to my bed because I cannot get to the bathroom quickly enough due to stiffness in my joints.”
“I have bladder incontinence and wear pads all the time. I have accidents two or three times a week where the pad is not enough and I need to change my clothes. When this happens at home my partner helps me clean up and change. I also have accidents at night about once a week and need to change the bed. I have a waterproof mattress protector because of this. The urgency is so bad that I sometimes do not make it to the toilet even from the next room.”
“My anxiety triggers severe IBS symptoms. When I am anxious I need the toilet urgently and sometimes have only seconds of warning. I have had bowel accidents several times when I could not get to a toilet quickly enough. I wear pads as a precaution whenever I leave the house and sometimes at home too. Before going anywhere I have to check where the toilets are, and if I am not sure there will be a toilet available I will not go. The anxiety about having an accident makes the IBS worse, which makes the anxiety worse.”
“I have a colostomy and need to empty my stoma bag about four times a day. I can empty it myself most of the time but I struggle to change the bag because I cannot see the stoma properly and my hands are not steady enough to get the seal right. My wife changes the bag for me every other day. I also get leaks about once a week which means I need to change clothes and clean the skin around the stoma. My wife checks the skin for signs of irritation or infection because I cannot see it well enough myself.”
Using GuidedPIPs
GuidedPIPs walks you through the managing toilet needs activity with guided prompts tailored to your conditions. It helps you describe your difficulties step by step, covering aids, incontinence, night-time needs, and the help you receive, so you do not have to figure out the structure on your own.
You can start for free and decide whether full access is right for you.