The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

PART 1 PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

(1)	(2)		(3)
Activity	Descriptors		Points
1. Walking with a walking stick or other aid if such aid is normally used.	(a)	Cannot walk at all.	15
	(b)	Cannot walk more than 50 metres on level ground without repeatedly stopping or severe discomfort.	15
	(c)	Cannot walk up or down 2 steps even with the support of a handrail.	15
	(d)	Cannot walk more than 100 metres on level ground without stopping or severe discomfort.	9
	(e)	Cannot walk more than 200 metres on level ground without stopping or severe discomfort.	6
	(f)	None of the above apply.	0
2. Standing and sitting.	(a)	Cannot stand for more than 10 minutes, unassisted by another person, even if free to move around, before needing to sit down.	15
	(b)	Cannot sit in a chair with a high back and no arms for more than 10 minutes before needing to move from the chair because the degree of discomfort experienced makes it impossible to continue sitting.	15
	(c)	Cannot rise to standing from sitting in an upright chair without physical assistance from another person.	15
	(d)	Cannot move between one seated position and another seated position located next to one another without receiving physical assistance from another person.	15
	(e)	Cannot stand for more than 30 minutes, even if free to move around, before needing to sit down.	6
	(f)	Cannot sit in a chair with a high back and no arms for more than 30 minutes without needing to move from the chair because the degree of discomfort experienced makes it impossible to continue sitting.	6
	(g)	None of the above apply.	0
3. Bending or kneeling.	(a)	Cannot bend to touch knees and straighten up again.	15
	(b)	Cannot bend, kneel or squat, as if to pick up a light object, such as a piece of paper, situated 15cm from the floor on a low shelf, and to move it and straighten up again without the help of another person.	9
	(c)	Cannot bend, kneel or squat, as if to pick a light object off the floor and straighten up again without the help of another person.	6
	(d)	None of the above apply.	0
4. Reaching.	(a)	Cannot raise either arm as if to put something in the top pocket of a coat or jacket.	15
	(b)	Cannot put either arm behind back as if to put on a coat or jacket.	15
	(c)	Cannot raise either arm to top of head as if to put on a hat.	9
	(d)	Cannot raise either arm above head height as if to reach for something.	6
	(e)	None of the above apply.	0
5. Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms (excluding all other activities specified in this Part of this Schedule).	(a)	Cannot pick up and move a 0∙5 litre carton full of liquid with either hand.	15
	(b)	Cannot pick up and move a one litre carton full of liquid with either hand.	9
	(c)	Cannot pick up and move a light but bulky object, such as an empty cardboard box, requiring the use of both hands together.	6
	(d)	None of the above apply.	0
6. Manual dexterity.	(a)	Cannot turn a “star-headed” sink tap with either hand.	15
	(b)	Cannot pick up a £1 coin or equivalent with either hand.	15
	(c)	Cannot turn the pages of a book with either hand.	15
	(d)	Cannot physically use a pen or pencil.	9
	(e)	Cannot physically use a conventional keyboard or mouse.	9
	(f)	Cannot do up/undo small buttons, such as shirt or blouse buttons.	9
	(g)	Cannot turn a “star-headed” sink tap with one hand but can with the other.	6
	(h)	Cannot pick up a £1 coin or equivalent with one hand but can with the other.	6
	(i)	Cannot pour from an open 0∙5 litre carton full of liquid.	6
	(j)	None of the above apply.	0
7. Speech.	(a)	Cannot speak at all.	15
	(b)	Speech cannot be understood by strangers.	15
	(c)	Strangers have great difficulty understanding speech.	9
	(d)	Strangers have some difficulty understanding speech.	6
	(e)	None of the above apply.	0
8. Hearing with a hearing aid or other aid if normally worn.	(a)	Cannot hear at all.	15
	(b)	Cannot hear well enough to be able to hear someone talking in a loud voice in a quiet room, sufficiently clearly to distinguish the words being spoken.	15
	(c)	Cannot hear someone talking in a normal voice in a quiet room, sufficiently clearly to distinguish the words being spoken.	9
	(d)	Cannot hear someone talking in a loud voice in a busy street, sufficiently clearly to distinguish the words being spoken.	6
	(e)	None of the above apply.	0
9. Vision including visual acuity and visual fields, in normal daylight or bright electric light, with glasses or other aid to vision if such aid is normally worn.	(a)	Cannot see at all.	15
	(b)	Cannot see well enough to read 16 point print at a distance of greater than 20cm.	15
	(c)	Has 50 per cent. or greater reduction of visual fields.	15
	(d)	Cannot see well enough to recognise a friend at a distance of at least 5 metres.	9
	(e)	Has 25 per cent. or more but less than 50 per cent. reduction of visual fields.	6
	(f)	Cannot see well enough to recognise a friend at a distance of at least 15 metres.	6
	(g)	None of the above apply.	0
10(a). Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant does not have an artificial stoma or urinary collecting device.	(a)(i)	Has no voluntary control over the evacuation of the bowel.	15
	(a)(ii)	Has no voluntary control of the voiding of the bladder.	15
	(a)(iii)	At least once a month loses control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel.	15
	(a)(iv)	At least once a week, loses control of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder.	15
	(a)(v)	Occasionally loses control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel.	9
	(a)(vi)	At least once a month loses control of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder.	6
	(a)(vii)	Risks losing control of bowels or bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel or the full voiding of the bladder if not able to reach a toilet quickly.	6
	(a)(viii)	None of the above apply.	0
10(b). Continence where the claimant uses a urinary collecting device, worn for the majority of the time including an indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheter.	(b)(i)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty the catheter bag or other collecting device without receiving physical assistance from another person.	15
	(b)(ii)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty the catheter bag or other collecting device without causing leakage of contents.	15
	(b)(iii)	Has no voluntary control over the evacuation of the bowel.	15
	(b)(iv)	At least once a month, loses control of the bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel.	15
	(b)(v)	Occasionally loses control of the bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel.	9
	(b)(vi)	Risks losing control of the bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel if not able to reach a toilet quickly.	6
	(b)(vii)	None of the above apply.	0
10(c). Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant has an artificial stoma.	(c)(i)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty stoma appliance without receiving physical assistance from another person.	15
	(c)(ii)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty stoma appliance without causing leakage of contents.	15
	(c)(iii)	Where the claimant’s artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, at least once a week loses control of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder.	15
	(c)(iv)	Where the claimant’s artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, at least once a month loses control of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder.	9
	(c)(v)	Where the claimant’s artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, risks losing control of the bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder if not able to reach a toilet quickly.	6
	(c)(vi)	None of the above apply.	0
11. Remaining conscious during waking moments.	(a)	At least once a week, has an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness, resulting in significantly disrupted awareness or concentration.	15
	(b)	At least once a month, has an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness, resulting in significantly disrupted awareness or concentration.	9
	(c)	At least twice in the 6 months immediately preceding the assessment, has had an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness, resulting in significantly disrupted awareness or concentration.	6
	(d)	None of the above apply.	0