PIP activity 12: Moving around
Moving around is activity 12 of the 12 PIP activities, and counts towards the mobility component. How far you can physically stand and walk without severe discomfort. Here’s what it covers, the descriptors and the points each one scores, and what assessors look for.
What this activity looks at
Your physical ability to stand and then walk set distances without severe discomfort, such as breathlessness, pain or fatigue.
Descriptors and points
The assessor picks the one descriptor that best fits you on most days. Only the highest-scoring descriptor that applies counts; points aren’t added up within an activity.
| Descriptor | What it means | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 12A | I can stand and move more than 200 metres, aided or unaided | 0 |
| 12B | I can move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres | 4 |
| 12C | I can move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres | 8 |
| 12D | I can move with an aid more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres | 10 |
| 12E | I can move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres | 12 |
| 12F | I cannot stand, or cannot move more than 1 metre | 12 |
What the assessor takes into account
- It’s assessed on outdoor pavements, including kerbs.
- The descriptors are about standing and then moving. If you use a wheelchair and can’t stand, 12A and 12B can’t apply.
- Stopping briefly while walking doesn’t automatically mean you’ve reached your limit.
- Walking sticks, crutches and prostheses count as aids.
- Being unaware of danger while you’re out is covered by activity 11, not this one.
- Breathlessness, pain and fatigue all matter to whether you can cover a distance reliably.
How to describe this on your form
- Describe your worst days, not your best or average days. A descriptor applies if it’s true on more than half of days, and that includes conditions that vary or come in flare-ups.
- An activity only counts as something you can do if you can do it safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, and in a reasonable time (no more than twice as long as someone without your condition). If any of these isn’t true on most days, say so and explain why.
- Be specific. Give distances, how long things take, how often problems happen, and examples of things that have gone wrong.
- Name any help you need using the words the DWP uses: supervision, prompting, assistance, or aids and appliances. “My partner helps me” is too vague; say what they do and why.
- Describe what your condition stops you doing, not just its name. Assessors score how your condition affects you, not the diagnosis.
- Avoid phrases like “I manage”, “I cope”, “I try my best” or “I sometimes have difficulty”. They suggest you can do the activity, and can cost you points.
How points turn into an award
Your points from activities 11 and 12 are added together for the mobility component.
- 8 to 11 points: standard rate, £29.20 a week
- 12 points or more: enhanced rate, £77.05 a week
2026/27 rates. Estimate your points across all 12 activities.
Try it free: free PIP sample answer
Choose “Moving around”, describe your difficulty in your own words, and see a sample answer written the way assessors score it.
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