PIP moving around: how to describe your difficulties
A calm, practical guide to the PIP moving around activity (Question 14 on the PIP2 form). Understand how the DWP assesses walking distance, how to describe your physical mobility difficulties, and see example notes. This is reference-only and not legal, medical, or benefits advice.
What this activity covers
Activity 12 is the second mobility activity on the PIP assessment. It is purely about your physical ability to stand and walk. It does not cover navigation, anxiety about journeys, or getting lost (those are covered by Activity 11, planning and following journeys).
The DWP assesses how far you can walk reliably, safely, repeatedly, and in a reasonable time. “Reliably” means to an acceptable standard. “Safely” means without a substantial risk of falling or causing yourself harm. “Repeatedly” means as often as you reasonably need to during the day, taking into account the cumulative effects of pain and fatigue. “In a reasonable time” means no more than twice as long as a person without your condition.
The distance you can walk is assessed with any walking aid you use or could reasonably be expected to use (such as a walking stick, crutches, or a walking frame). You should describe your walking ability with your usual aids.
How the DWP scores this activity
| Descriptor | Points |
|---|---|
| Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided | 0 |
| Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided | 4 |
| Can stand and then move more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres, either aided or unaided | 8 |
| Can stand and then move between 1 and 20 metres, either aided or unaided | 10 |
| Cannot either stand or move more than 1 metre, aided or unaided | 12 |
The key distances are 200 metres (beyond which you score zero), 50 metres (the threshold for standard rate mobility), and 20 metres (which scores 8 points towards enhanced rate). These distances are measured on flat ground, not on hills or stairs.
Writing your notes for this activity
Examples: describing moving around 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 can walk about 30 metres with my walking stick before the pain in my knees and hips forces me to stop. I then need to stand still for two or three minutes before I can go on, but the second stretch is shorter, usually about 15 metres. On a bad day I can barely get from the bedroom to the kitchen without stopping. After any walking the pain is severe for the rest of the day and I need to take painkillers and rest with my feet up. I walk very slowly, about half the speed of other people.”
“I can walk about 40 metres on a good day but it takes all my energy. After walking that far I need to sit or lie down for at least 30 minutes. On a bad day I cannot walk further than from my bed to the bathroom, which is about 5 metres. Bad days happen three or four times a week. If I push myself to walk further than I should, I crash the next day and cannot get out of bed at all. I use a wheelchair for any journey longer than a few metres.”
“My walking varies a lot depending on the day. On a good day with my two crutches I can manage about 60 metres, very slowly. On a bad day my legs feel heavy and weak and I can only manage about 15 metres. I have fallen three times in the last six months because my left leg gave way without warning. I use a wheelchair when I go out because I cannot rely on being able to walk. Bad days are more common than good days, about four out of seven.”
“I can walk about 25 metres on flat ground before I am too breathless to continue. I have to stop completely and lean on something until I get my breath back, which takes three to five minutes. If there is any incline at all the distance is much less. I use a portable oxygen concentrator for any journey outside the house. Walking makes my breathlessness worse for the rest of the day and increases the risk of an exacerbation. I have been hospitalised twice in the last year after overdoing it.”
Using GuidedPIPs
GuidedPIPs walks you through the moving around activity with guided prompts tailored to your conditions. It helps you describe your walking distance, aids, pain, fatigue, and variability step by step, 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.