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Publication - Publication

Adult Disability Payment decision making guide

Published
7 Aug 2025
Topic
Adult Disability Payment

ADP Mobility component activity 2 – moving around

This chapter provides information on activity 2 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’ chapter.

What mobility component activity 2 covers

Mobility component activity 2 considers an individual’s physical ability to stand and move around without symptoms of severe discomfort, pain or fatigue. Breathlessness may be considered a symptom of severe discomfort, for example (link to reliability criteria section of overview of decision making).

Mobility component activity 2 includes the ability to stand and then move within the following parameters:

  • up to 20 metres
  • up to 50 metres
  • up to 200 metres
  • over 200 metres

You should evaluate mobility component activity 2 in relation to a type of surface normally expected outdoors, such as pavements and kerbs.

Meaning of terms

Standing

‘Standing’ for the purposes of this activity means to stand upright with at least one biological foot on the ground with or without suitable aids and appliances (link to overview of decision making).

Prosthesis

A prosthesis is considered to an appliance.

An individual with a unilateral (one) prosthetic leg may be able to stand.

An individual with bilateral (two) prosthetic legs would be considered to be unable to stand as they do not have at least one biological foot on the ground.

Stand and then move

‘Stand and then move’ describes an individual’s ability to stand and then move while remaining standing. It does not include an individual who stands and then transfers into a wheelchair or similar device.

Individuals who need a wheelchair or similar device to move a distance should not be considered able to stand and move that distance.

Aids and appliances

An aid or appliance that an individual may use to support their physical mobility may include any of the following items which are not limited to:

  • a walking stick
  • crutches
  • a zimmer frame
  • a prosthetic or prostheses

The definition of ‘aided’ includes supervision, prompting or assistance, so any of these could also be considered an aid when an individual’s completing an activity.

Consider these things

An individual’s ability to carry out the activity should be determined:

  • based on their ability while using an aid or appliance which they normally wear or use, or
  • as if they were wearing or using any aid or appliance which they could reasonably be expected to wear or use

When deciding if an individual needs:

  • an aid
  • an appliance
  • prompting
  • supervision
  • assistance

You should not only consider what the individual actually has, but also what they could reasonably require but might not actually have.

You should consider the manner in which mobility component activity 2 is completed when considering whether the activity can be carried out reliably. This includes, but is not limited to, an individual’s: 

  • gait (the pattern of how a person walks)
  • speed
  • risk of falls
  • symptoms or side effects that could affect their ability to complete the activity
  • ability to move around without symptoms of severe discomfort, pain or fatigue

An individual’s mobility may be affected by external conditions including, but not limited to, temperature and weather. You should consider this when applying the reliability criteria e.g. in cold and wet weather conditions an individual’s mobility may be further reduced by heightened discomfort, pain or fatigue. This may affect their ability to achieve a particular standard of mobility ‘repeatedly’.

What mobility component activity 2 does not cover

Mobility component activity 2 considers the physical act of moving only. Planning and following journeys including any risk associated with this will be considered in mobility component activity 1.

You should only consider posture if it affects an individual’s ability to move to an acceptable standard. 

Mobility component activity 2 descriptors

The ‘moving around’ descriptors describe six levels of functional ability to complete the activity.

  1. Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided.
  2. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided.
  3. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres either aided or unaided.
  4. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres, either aided or unaided.
  5. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided.
  6. Cannot, either aided or unaided
    1. stand, or
    2. move more than 1 metre (ADP regs, Schedule 1 Part 3 Mobility Activities, Activity (2)).

Meaning of unaided

Within the assessment criteria, the ability to perform an activity unaided means without either the use of aids or appliances; or supervision, prompting or assistance (ADP regs, Reg 1, Part 1).

You may give consideration to an individual who may have been prescribed an aid however cannot use this due to a condition or disability. A descriptor which reflects the distance the individual can stand and move without the aid’s likely to be appropriate.

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