ADP mobility component activity 1 – planning and following journeys

This chapter provides information on activity 1 of the mobility component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

This chapter should be read and applied in line with the overview of decision making chapter and the ADP mobility component introduction.

What mobility component activity 1 covers

This activity considers an individual’s ability to plan and follow the route of a journey.

To ‘follow the route of a journey’ means for an individual to navigate and make their way along a planned route to a planned destination.

This activity will be relevant for limitations on mobility deriving from:

• mental health,
• cognitive and sensory impairments, as well as
• physical problems

Cognitive impairment includes:

• orientation (understanding of where, when and who the person is),
• attention (including awareness of risk and danger),
• concentration and
• memory

Standing and moving

Any issues with the ability to stand and then move should be considered under mobility component activity 2.

Consider what they’re able to do

Consideration should be given to the individual’s ability to:

• plan the route of a journey in advance
• leave their home and embark on a journey
• follow the intended route once they leave the home
• deal with unexpected changes to the journey, should they arise

Consider safety risks

Safety risks should be considered including, but not limited to, the following:

• tendency to wander into the road
• inability to safely cross a road
• risk of self-harm
• symptoms of overwhelming psychological distress (OPD)

For example, an individual with a significant visual impairment or hearing difficulties may be at a substantial risk from traffic when crossing a road.

Risk of getting lost due to physical or mental condition

The risk of getting lost due to an individual’s physical or mental condition is relevant to whether the individual can safely follow the route of a journey for the purpose of descriptors 1D and 1F.

Beyond this the risk of getting lost and needing to ask for directions is not relevant to meeting the descriptors.

Consider risk of falling and recovery period after a fall

You should consider an individual’s risk of falling under mobility component activity 1 if the risk of falling is both:

• related to an individual’s condition or disability
• a risk to the individual’s safety

When considering which descriptor might apply, you should also consider risk to an individual arising during the recovery period after a fall.

Consider risk of self-harm or suicide

You should consider risk of self-harm or suicide to be applicable under mobility component activity 1 if it’s likely to be related to an individual being out of the home on a journey. (Link to relevant ops guidance).

Mobility component activity 1 descriptors

The ‘planning and following journeys’ descriptors describe six levels of functional ability to complete the activity.

1. Can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided.
2. Needs the prompting of another person to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress (OPD) to the individual.
3. Cannot plan the route of a journey.
4. Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid.
5. Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress (OPD) to the individual
6. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid (ADP regs, Schedule 1 Part 3 Mobility Activities, Activity (1)).

Choosing a descriptor

The descriptor should be selected based on which descriptor would apply to the individual, were the individual to carry out the activity.

If the individual does not plan or follow the route of journeys by choice rather than necessity, then the descriptor that should be applied to them should be that which would apply were they to undertake the activity.

Orientation aids

Mobility activity 1 refers specifically to ‘orientation aids’ which are defined as specialist aids designed to assist disabled people in following a route, for example, long canes.

Mobility component activity 1 descriptor D or F only apply where an individual could not reliably make their way along a route without:

• an accompanying person,
• assistance dog or
• orientation aid

The presence of another person out of preference is not considered to be sufficient to satisfy either of these descriptors.

Prompting, supervision and assistance

You should consider if the individual needs:

• prompting, supervision or assistance from another person to complete the activity, or
• an assistance dog or
• orientation aid

Meaning of terms

Prompting

‘Prompting’ means reminding, encouraging or explaining by another person.

This does not have to be in the physical presence of the individual.

For example, an individual could be prompted over a telephone call with another person.

Supervision

‘Supervision’ means the continuous presence of another person for the purpose of ensuring an individual’s safety.

The supervision can be in relation to any risk to the individual’s safety, whether or not the risk directly results from carrying out the activity in question.

Assistance

‘Assistance’ means physical intervention by another person and does not include speech.

Assistance dog

‘Assistance dog’ means a dog trained to guide or assist a person with a sensory impairment.

Things we do not consider an orientation aid

Orientation aids are specialist aids to assist disabled people in following a route and do not include:

• ordinary satellite navigation systems such as those found in mobile phones
• maps
• lists of directions
• a symbol cane which may indicate that an individual has needs relating to their ability to see, but does not assist them in the orientation of their surroundings