Score points when OCD limits times when activities can be completed?

Client with OCD is able to cook, wash and dress but only at specific times each day. He doesn’t need to obsessively repeat these activities and manages to complete them most days. However, any time he misses his time window, no amount of prompting or supervision will assist him to complete the activity.

Has anyone ever successfully obtained points in the PIP test in a similar scenario?

For the majority of the time in the day, he cannot e.g. cook - only in his window of one hour. Can a specific time of day count as a prompt? I’ll certainly argue that it can, but I’d be interested to hear whether others have been successful/failed in this argument.

KMJones - 12 July 2023 10:03 AM

Client with OCD is able to cook, wash and dress but only at specific times each day. He doesn’t need to obsessively repeat these activities and manages to complete them most days. However, any time he misses his time window, no amount of prompting or supervision will assist him to complete the activity.

Has anyone ever successfully obtained points in the PIP test in a similar scenario?

For the majority of the time in the day, he cannot e.g. cook - only in his window of one hour. Can a specific time of day count as a prompt? I’ll certainly argue that it can, but I’d be interested to hear whether others have been successful/failed in this argument.

The following may be helpful crystallizing thoughts Kelly-Marie - https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/18710/

Kelly-Marie - the link Andy posted is indeed very useful.

Additionally, taking your example of cooking, I think you need to nail some things down…...

I assume that the OCD operates so that your client has absolutely rigid and immovable routines? So that if he is, for example, to prepare a meal from fresh ingredients, this has to be done between (say) 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm? How does that actually work in practice?

- is the case that he must absolutely start at 5:00 pm on the dot?
- or does it not matter so long as he starts the process between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm?
- what happens if he overruns? e.g. can he complete a meal that takes 45 minutes to cook so long as the process is started between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm? So if he starts at 5:45 pm it will be fine? Or not?

And so on. This type of case is entirely arguable, but it depends on the specific facts. Going on with the example of cooking, if the reality of your client’s existence is that he is unable to cook/prepare food for the majority of the time ( e.g. because it’s the first scenario and his bus home from work is regularly late) then he should score points - it will be harder if it’s a case of trying to argue that in reality he manages to cook for most of the time, but should he feel hungry occasionally at 2:00 pm that he would need to wait until 5:00 pm to start cooking…..

And if no amount of supervision or prompting can persuade him to cook should he miss the allotted hour, then you’re arguing 1 (f) rather than 1 (d) or (e).

I wonder if you might also argue for needing prompting or assistance with timekeeping - i.e. where he’d need someone to help him manage his time so he is able to do the activities within his timeframes - in order to be able to do them reliably.

Dressing and undressing strikes me as the most attainable points, depending on the practical implications of his conditions. If he oversleeps, is he unable to get (appropriately) dressed for the day? If he has an unexpected visitor or appointment, can he adapt his clothing to that situation as required? What if it starts raining?

Invariably PIP tends to punish people who learns to live with their disabilities though - i.e. if he keeps a strict and sustainable routine that doesn’t interfere too much with the rest of his life, he might not score points. It might come down to how often he has to deviate from routine and the difficulties it causes (i.e. some consideration for likelihood and severity of negative consequences).

Thanks all, really useful. I’ll come back to you once I have investigated further!