1. Preparing food.

I have been awarded 0 points for my problems with preparing food as the decision maker  says the descriptor ‘can cook a simple meal unaided' applies.

I believe the right one is - 1 f. Cannot prepare and cook food. 8 points.

However, I believe I should have been awarded 8 points for this activity. This is because I ‘cannot

prepare and cook food’.

I am not able to do this because of fatigue. I I eat sandwiches, toast or noodles do eat ready-meals because warming up in a microwave is too much effort. Very often, I will just eat fruits or vegetables as anything else is too tiring to prepare and involves planning. On the rare occasion that I have attempted to prepare a meal from scratch, I have given up as the task is overwhelming for me

and I cannot plan the steps needed to complete it. I could not make a meal to an acceptable

standard, within a reasonable timescale, and I would not be able to repeat the activity due to

fatigue. I do not cook a simple meal but eat one that has been already prepared and

cooked. I believe that the HP’s account is incomplete without this additional information. I even often drink water because making coffee or tee takes too much effort.

2. Taking nutrition.

I have been awarded 0 points as 'Can eat and drink unaided' applied.

Right one -

I had clearly stated to the health professional that I fail to eat at all if someone does not prompt me

and remind me to eat. I have a very low BMI as a result of my loss of appetite and desire to eat.

In the past four weeks, I have had 3 episodes of not eating for 4 days at a time and even on the days

that I do eat, I will only eat one meal or snack in a day.

I believe his evidence should be taken into account when making a decision about my capability for work.

I believe I should have been awarded 4 points for this activity - 2 d. Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. 4 points.

3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition.

I was awarded no points as 'Can manage medication/therapy or monitor health condition unaided' applied.

I frequently lose track of days and will sit for many hours doing nothing at all. When i become this depressed I need someone to be awarre of my mental health deterioration, in order to prevent me becoming suicidal again. I receive calls form our local Minds to check my condition. And my flat mate helps me to sort out my medication in medication box and cheks if I have had them. I have only medication for nearest few days, the rest is with my flat mate to avoid suicide by overdosing - I have tried to take my life 2 times by overdosing medicines and my flat mates called both times the Police, please see documents attached. I believe I should be awarded with 2 points - 3 c. Needs supervision, prompting or assistance to be able to manage therapy that takes no more than 3.5 hours a week. 2 points

4. Washing and bathing

I have been awarded zero points as 'can wash and bath unaided' applied.

This is despite explaining to the assessor that I cannot wash myself because of severe kidneys pain.

And I have explained to assessor that I will only wash when my femail friend (she is social worker) comes and washes me. On other occasions my flat mates remind me to brush my hair - because of my severe depression I am unaware that my higiene is poor.

I believe I should be awarded with 8 points - 4g Cannot wash and bathe at all and needs another person to wash their entire body. 8 points.

5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence

I have been awarded zero points as 'can manage toilet needs or incontinence  unaided' applied.

This is despite explaining to the assessor that I have severe kidneys pain what makes it very painful to clean myself after going to the toilet, it is very painful to clean my back. That process causes me pain and breathlessness and  makes me feel tired and exhausted, I need to spend hours in bed after that. I could not do it to an acceptable standard, within a reasonable timescale. I believe I should be awarded with 4 points - 5 d. Needs assistance to be able to manage toilet needs. 4 points

6. Dressing and undressing

I was given no points as 'can dress and undress  unaided' applied.

This is despite explaining to the assessor that I remain in the same clothes for days at a time, until I am promped and encouraged to get changed into clean clothes by my friend. I am not aware that my clothes are becoming dirty or smelly. I wear my clothes constantly and I don't get undressed for bed or get dressed when I get up. I wear loose tracksuit-type clothing all the time as I have no motivation or desire to wear other clothing.

Also that is painful for me to dress and undress my upper body because of my severe kidneys pain.

I believe I should have been awarded 4 points for this activity - 6 e. Needs assistance to be able to dress or undress their upper body. 4 points

7. Communicating.

I was given no points for my difficulty with communication.

Since my depression has become so severe, I have lost the ability to understand and retain information. I need everything to be explained to me several times. My friend who is social worker is very helpful in explaining things to me in simple terms, but I don't always remember what she has said. I ask her leave notes and my flat mates than read notes and explain the same thing again until I understand.

As I find it difficult to communicate , I cannot focus and concentrate on what other people are saying. I avoid contact with others as much as possible because it causes my mind go blank - I cannot understand anything that is being said. I need someone with me all the time to explain later what has been said.

Because of this need for help I believe I should have been awarded 4 points for this activity - 7 c. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. 4 points

8. Reading and understanding

I was awarded no points for reading and understanding

This is despite explaining to the assessor that I have difficulties with concentration and focus, what makes me unable to understand complex written information so I am not reading myself  letters form DWP or bank or bills but waiting for my friend to come and read and explain in simple terms.

For this reason, I believe, I should have been awarded 2 points - 8 c. Needs prompting to be able to read or understand complex written information. 2 points.
 

9. Engaging with other people face to face.

I was given no points for engaging with other people face to face.

This is despite explaining to the assessor that I am avoiding  to leave my home as I cannot stand noise, cars and crowds of people. I need to be accompanied because I cannot cope with other people as I become very self-conscious, anxious and ultimately more depressed. I cannot do even shopping - I always have conflicts and problems, which affects my poor self-esteem, causing me to feel that life is not worth living. Because of my agoraphobia I avoid going out into public places as much as I can. Going out is causing detoriation in my condition and  makes me feel suicidal and exhausted.

I believe I should have been awarded 8 points -  9 d. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either - (i) overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant - 8 points

10. Making budgeting decisions.

I was given no points for the activity relating to making budgeting decisions.

This is despite explaining to the assessor that I am unable to make decisions about my money and finances because I cannot focus or concentrate to do so. My friends buy for me something ready to eat such us sandwiches. Because of my depression I can go for days without food.

If I need any extra items, my mates goes to the shop and buy them for me. I cannot make decisions about new clothes or products that I might need because I become panicky and indecisive if I need to think about more complex monetary decisions. My friend has to help me to make those decisions, to avoid causing me distress and anxiety. My landlord is reminding me when and how much to pay rent.

I believe I should have been awarded 4 points for this activity - 10 c. Needs prompting or assistance to be able to make simple budgeting decisions. 4 points .

Mobility activities

11. Planning and following journeys.

Why assessor has stated that 'she is happy to use public transport' if I told to her that I cannot use at all public transport because of claustraphobia so  because of high blood pressure that is dangerous for my life?

No points were awarded to me for either of the mobility activities.

This is despite explaining to the assessor that leaving my house makes me become overwhelmingly anxious and distressed, I also get agressive as I am afraid of people, cars, crowds of people and noise. I have had a lot of times 'near-miss'accidents when cars already knock me down. That situations are very stressful, and car drivers are shouting at me that if I am drunk I have to stay at home - but I am not drunk, I am dizzy and confused.  When I know I have to leave the house I cannot sleep for days beforehand and have violent outbursts and don't go anywhere for weeks after that.

I believe I should be awarded 10 points - 11 e. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant. 10 points.

12. Moving around.

I was given no points for the activity.

The assessor has written in her report that 'She reports she can only walk from one side of her room to other and than need to stop'. Why decision maker has stated that 'can stand and than move more than 200 metres either aided or unaided'?

I cannot walk without experiencing severe back and knees pain, which cause me to have to stop and rest before I can continue. After walking I cannot move around my home comfortabely at all.

I explained the difficulties I have with walking which make that clear that I am in severe pain all the time when I walkAfter walking I have to stay at home for more than 3 days.

I believe assessor has taken no account of wheather I can carry out the activity reliably, in a timely fashion, repeatedly and safely.

I believe I should have been awarded 4 points - 12 b. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. 4 points .